


Heart's Desire

by soapficgal



Category: Port Charles
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 05:59:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5731963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soapficgal/pseuds/soapficgal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is another story I wrote a long time ago. Chris leaves Port Charles after losing Eve, but when he's down in Texas he has an unexpected encounter with a woman named Holly who's an exact replica for Eve. Could this mystery woman be the key to a happily ever after with Eve Lambert?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  
Chris Ramsey parked his car in the dust covered lot as he looked to the baked earth surrounding him. While he was grateful for the air conditioning in his sedan he could’ve done without the long ride through downtown Dallas traffic to get to this dump. Dump was an understatement, he thought to himself as he wondered why he’d agreed to meet with colleague Derek Fieldmore after his double shift at the hospital. Of course while the promise of a nice sofa and some peace and quiet came to mind after the month Chris had in moving out to Dallas from Port Charles. You’d think he’d jump on the offer to go home, yet with the reminder that Doree had called it quits before tossing all of his stuff back in New York, perhaps a new home wasn’t exactly where he wanted to spend his free time.  
  
Stepping out of the car, Chris spotted Derek up ahead and he pushed aside his thoughts of his torrid affair with the overzealous Port Charles police officer. Sure she had been a wild cat and their sex life had never been lacking, but once the proposal to leave Port Charles fell upon the table, rather than taking the next step towards marriage, somehow the two wound up with her taking the next step to the window to toss his things down fifteen floors to hit a very unlucky pedestrian below with one of Chris’s finer Armani suits. From that moment on, Chris decided change was good and women, while they had their purposes, were not worth the effort. Now noting the goofy grin on Derek’s face, he wondered what in the world had prompted his friend to pick such a dump for an evening out.  
  
“There had better be a good reason you had me drive all the way out here,” Chris looked around noting the sun’s amber hues in the distance alerting them that soon the night would fall upon them.  
  
“Oh once you take a look at the selection inside, I’m sure that you’ll find this was well worth the trip out here,” Derek promised noting the flashing neon sign overhead, “not only does this place have some of the best buffalo wings you’ll ever sink your teeth into, but it’s full of beautiful eye candy,” he finished opening the door to the bar for Chris to step inside, “one glance at these beauties and all else will be forgotten.”  
  
“Derek, I already told you I had enough in my life,” Chris reminded him with a sigh.  
  
“Oh come on, just because Doree turned out to be just a little nuts doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time,” Derek reminded him.  
  
“That’s easy for you to say, she didn’t try to have you arrested for breaking and entering your own apartment,” Chris groaned thinking back to the end of his time with Doree.  
  
“Hey, maybe she just wanted to remind you how much she loved those handcuffs on you,” Derek teased further, “you have to admit that was kind of fun.”  
  
“Fun maybe, but I don’t think I’m up to that kind of danger in my life anymore. Sure the sex was great, but when I think about how it ended,” Chris stopped as he watched a beautiful, blonde waitress pass by wearing a tight white t-shirt.  
  
“You were saying,” Derek noted his friend’s response to the waitress as she winked over at them.  
  
“Maybe this place won’t be so bad,” Chris loosened his tie a bit as a devilish grin pressed over his features, “a drink won’t hurt anything.”  
  
“There’s the spirit,” Derek noted, “besides there’s no problem with just getting laid for the hell of it now is there?”  
  
“Does Melissa know you think that way?” Chris gave his friend a look.  
  
“Are you kidding?” Derek shook his head, “your sister would have me by the balls if she knew I took you to a place like this, but hey what Missy doesn’t know...”  
  
“Don’t think I won’t tell her,” Chris replied thinking of his long lost sister. When he’d found himself rather unsettled in Port Charles after Eve’s death, he’d begun to question his life and before he knew it, Melissa was showing up on his doorstep ready to give the family another try. Chris had been reluctant at first, but after spending some time with Derek, Missy and their two children, Chris decided he could get used to a place out in Texas, which prompted his decision to just up and leave.  
  
“Oh come on, there’s nothing wrong with looking,” Derek objected taking in the sight of a beautiful waitress up ahead, “besides it’s not like I took you to the strip club.”  
  
“Oh no of course not,” Chris couldn’t help but laugh as he too found himself admiring the view, “they have oh so much more on at this place.”  
  
“Hell it’s what they’re wearing that makes all the difference to a man,” Derek pointed out before motioning over to Chris to follow him to a table, “besides here you don’t have to worry about anyone we know bothering us.”  
  
“Speaking of which, you never did tell me what was so urgent about us meeting,” Chris reminded him, “so what’s going on?”  
  
“Well, Missy and I have our anniversary coming up right around the corner and seeing as you are already so close to Joanie and Todd, well we were thinking....”  
  
“That you’d butter me up by taking me to a sleazy joint like this and that somehow I’d just agree to baby-sit?” Chris raised a curious brow.  
  
“Well that was the general idea,” Derek confessed, “how am I doing so far?”  
  
“I’ll admit you’re doing pretty good,” Chris replied finally locating the blonde who’d past them when they’d first entered the bar.  
  
“Then you’ll do it?” Derek raised a curious brow.  
  
“I guess I’ll just have to see how the night goes,” Chris smiled as a petite auburn haired waitress approached them.  
  
“Hey handsome,” she smiled at Chris before looking over to Derek, “what can I get for the two of ya tonight?”  
  
“I’ll take a scotch on the rocks....” Derek offered, “and he’ll have a martini.”  
  
“That all?” she questioned looking back over at Chris her green eyes sizing him up with obvious interest.  
  
“For now, but maybe later you could pass me along your number,” Chris offered up with a sly smile as she let out a laugh.  
  
“Play your cards right cowboy and you just might find it in your hands by the end of the night,” she winked at him, “among other things.”  
  
“Then I’ll be on my best behavior,” he noted her name tag loosely tacked onto the hem of her tight shirt, “Becky.”  
  
“Oh no sugar,” she shook her head, “don’t you do that because where would the fun be in that?” she winked again before going off to fill their drink orders.  
  
“What did I tell you?” Derek finally blurted out, “it’s heaven.”  
  
“Maybe it is,” Chris offered as he took in the bar watching woman after beautiful woman moving around filling the place with a rather pleasant atmosphere.  
  
“So what do you say? Will you watch the kids?” Derek questioned as the waitress returned bringing their drinks.  
  
“I don’t know,” Chris leaned back in the booth a bit as he sized up the waitress, “Becky, I have a question for you.”  
  
“What might that be?” she questioned with a flirty smile.  
  
“My brother in law here wants me to watch my niece and nephew this upcoming week so that he and my sister can have a hot, little get away, but you see rather than flat out asking me to just watch his children, he thought he’d bring me here to butter me up first.”  
  
“Is it working?” she questioned.  
  
“That all depends,” Chris sat forward, “do you have a break coming up?”  
  
“As a matter of fact I have one right now,” she offered with a smile as he rose from his seat offering her his hand  
  
“Then I do believe this is our song playing beautiful,” he informed her leading her out onto the dance floor as Derek shook his head realizing Chris was having far too much fun in this place.  
  
“So tell me something sugar,” Chris pulled the petite waitress in closer to him, “what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?”  
  
“Waiting for a handsome stranger like you to whisk me away from this dump,” she confessed her fingers fanning out over his chest, “interested?”  
  
“That all depends,” Chris teased back, “I think I’ll have to have a little hint of what’s in it for me before I can decide if I’m ready to invest.”  
  
“Oh I’m sure I can give you a taste of things to come,” she wrapped her arms around his neck moving in closer to him, her lips just a breath away from his as there was a crashing sound from behind them and she pulled away with a frown, “oh hell.”  
  
“Hey,” he pulled on her arm as she started to walk away, “where are you going?”  
  
“I have to get back to work,” she explained with a frown, “we have this new girl and well, she just doesn’t know her head from her...” there was another crashing sound, “just don’t you go away. I’ll be right back.”  
  
“I’ll be right here,” Chris promised offering up a wave as his lady companion headed off into the kitchen her temper getting the best of her. Turning around towards the booth, he noticed Derek had moved and after a moment Chris eyed him over by the payphone, no doubt alerting Melissa of the unspoken deal he’d made with Chris. With a tiny laugh, Chris moved over to the bar taking a seat as he awaited Becky’s return.  
  
“A martini over here,” Chris motioned for the bar tender as a voice interrupted his thoughts.  
  
“Look, I don’t care what you have to say Erin, I’m not going back to him,” a voice continued, “he’s not worth my time.”  
  
“Holly, do you have any idea what you’re saying?” a blonde woman beside Chris spoke to her dark haired companion.  
  
“Look, there is no way that I’m just going to sit back and take that from him. To hell with it,” Holly explained, “there’s no need to go back to a place where I’m not needed.”  
  
“Holly, you left once before and you know what happened,” the blonde warned as Chris tried to take in the view of her dark haired friend, “where are you going to go?”  
  
“I’ll find something,” Holly’s voice explained as she spun around and took off towards the ladies room.  
  
“You’re impossible Holly,” the blonde shook her head as she spun around noting Chris’ eyes upon her, “what are you looking at?”  
  
“Not a thing,” Chris shrugged turning his eyes back to his martini as he hoped Becky wouldn’t take too long. After a few minutes, he looked back over to the payphone where Derek was still talking. Shaking his head, Chris turned his attention back to his martini before finishing it off.  
  
“I’ll have one of those too,” a voice moved in beside Chris, “and keep them coming.”  
  
Chris set his glass down as he was struck by an uncanny feeling. Slowly his eyes fell upon the pair of long legs before him. She had on a pair of knee high black boots and a short denim skirt topped off with a red blouse, but it wasn’t what she was wearing that had captured his attention, it was something in her voice, something that now spoke volumes behind her dark eyes.  
  
“You got a problem?” she glared at him noting the way he was sizing her up uneasily.  
  
“It can’t be,” he shook his head, “I mean you’re sitting right here but...”  
  
“Do I know you?” she questioned in confusion.  
  
“It’s me. It’s Chris,” he started as there was a loud banging noise behind them.  
  
“Oh no,” she leapt from her barstool eager to get away from the bar’s new patron as Chris realized that his eyes must be playing tricks on him. Suddenly as she fled out the back entrance he knew he couldn’t let her go. He pulled out a few bills from his pocket and rushed out into the night after her. He found the lot empty for the most part except for a few new arrivals and a frown washed over his features as he wondered if his mind had been playing tricks on him. He could’ve sworn he’d seen the face of a woman who’d haunted his dreams for what felt like an eternity, a woman who...he shook the thought as he started back towards the bar.  
  
“I’ll find her,” a gruff voice shouted out as Chris watched the back door to the bar open and the blonde he’d been eyeing earlier followed a worried expression on her face.  
  
“I already told her that she shouldn’t run off, but you know Holly,” the blonde continued, “you know what she’s capable of...”  
  
“If Mark finds out she left, it’ll be my head,” the bulky looking man explained a scowl tight over his features.  
  
“She couldn’t have gotten far,” the blonde explained as Chris brushed past them making his way around the side of the bar as a pair of arms reached out to him drawing him close. Before he could say a word, there was a soft, warm form wrapped around his body and a mouth like fire against his, coaxing him into a spontaneous, passionate kiss.  
  
As they parted, Chris found himself lost in a pair of dark eyes that seemed too good to be true and a whisper fell from her lips as she held onto him, “Take me home with you,” she pleaded her eyes shifting a bit as the burly man and her blonde companion passed by. Before allowing him a moment to answer, she pulled him in closer for another desperate kiss blocking his thoughts until the others had passed by.  
  
“Please,” she started again as he touched her face, “Chris.”  
  
He nodded in response hoping that Derek would forgive him for this, but as he reached for her arm, he lead her to his car finding himself so full of questions as they both got inside. Saying nothing he put the car into drive and took off down the dirt road driving off a ways from the bar. On occasion he glanced over at her wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him until he finally decided to break the silence. Stopping the car, he turned the headlights off and looked to her.  
  
“What?” she questioned noting the way his eyes seemed to take in her features.  
  
“Is it really you?” he asked again reaching out to touch her as she backed away from him.  
  
“Look mister, thanks for getting me out of there, but I’m not really in the mood to...”  
  
“Eve, I don’t understand what you’re doing here,” he began again watching her withdraw from his touch.  
  
“Eve?” she repeated in confusion, “what are you talking about? My name is Holly.”  
  
“Holly?” he repeated eyeing her closely, “but before. When you kissed me, when you called me by my name...”  
  
“You said it at the bar,” she explained reaching for her purse, “look I appreciate the ride and all, but I need to split,” she leaned in towards him whispering in his ear, “I owe you a martini sometime Chris,” she placed a soft kiss on his cheek before she opened the car door leaving into the night.  
  
“No wait,” Chris called out after her as he too stepped out of his car finding nothing but darkness surrounding him as she’d vanished into the night. Was it possible? Was he losing his mind, he wondered as he couldn’t believe he’d found himself next to a woman who was a living breathing replica of Eve Lambert.   
  
  
  
Half an hour after his encounter with “Holly”, Chris returned back to the bar finding Derek in the parking lot speaking with a couple of officers that had arrived.  
  
“Thanks for your time,” Derek replied stepping away before going to greet Chris, “where the hell have you been?”  
  
“I had a run in with this woman and..” Chris noted all the police cars, “what happened?”  
  
“Well while you were off getting laid, there was a blow out back and they found a woman in the parking lot,” Derek explained, “a blonde left out here to be run over. They found her face down in the lot not more than fifty feet from where you’re standing.”  
  
“A blonde?” Chris repeated.  
  
“Apparently she and her friend Holly came out for a night of drinks, but now not only did they find the blonde out here all cut up, but her friend is missing.”  
  
“This Holly person?” Chris questioned further.  
  
“Yeah,” Derek nodded.  
  
“Were they in some kind of trouble with the law?” Chris questioned realizing that while his mind might’ve been playing tricks on him, Holly wasn’t just a figment of his imagination.  
  
“Worse,” Derek shook his head, “apparently this missing Holly is none other than Roger Masters estranged wife.”  
  
“Roger Masters,” Chris repeated, “why does that name sound familiar?”  
  
“Well, that could be because he’s on the board over at the hospital and his family happens to have enough money to run this town not to mention the ins with the dark side of the community if you catch my drift,” Derek shook his head, “it’s really a shame too that this happened because I was just assuring Melissa that this place wasn’t as bad as it seemed but with the news crews flooding this place...” Derek watched as Chris walked away towards Derek‘s mini-van, “hey where are you going?”  
  
“You still have that television in here?” Chris questioned motioning for Derek to open the van up.  
  
“Yeah of course,” Derek noted, “why?”  
  
“Just curious,” Chris explained, “with all the press running around, I’m curious to see what this Holly person looks like.”  
  
“Don’t tell me you’re in the mood to start playing hero now,” Derek shook his head, “that’s one role I never thought I’d see you in.”  
  
“It’s not something I’m stepping into willingly, but I was just curious to see who everyone is getting so excited about,” Chris explained.  
  
“Well in that case,” Derek reached into his pocket, “forget the television, here’s what you’re looking for.”  
  
“What’s this?” Chris asked as Derek handed him the page.  
  
“It’s her photo,” Derek explained, “like I said they are very eager to find someone like her. If it was just a normal person who lead a quiet life, they wouldn’t think twice, but with someone who’s related to a Masters.....”  
  
“I know her,” Chris blurted out as eyes were glued to the photo.  
  
“Well she was at the bar tonight,” Derek explained to him, “but I know that I haven’t seen a woman like her hanging around the hospital lately.”  
  
“It wasn’t from the hospital,” Chris shook his head as he instantly recognized the smile before him, “it wasn’t from this place.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Derek noted the color had drained from Chris’ face, “Chris?”  
  
“This woman isn’t Holly Masters,” Chris informed him, “Granted that’s who she says she is, but that’s not her name. She‘s not Roger Masters wife. Not by a long shot.”  
  
“Chris, look I realize it’s been a long night, but I can assure you this woman is....”  
  
“How long have they been together?” Chris questioned.  
  
“How the hell should I know? Chris, it’s getting late,” Derek frowned.  
  
“Derek, listen to me. This woman, this Holly, I was with her earlier. I gave her a ride out of here.”  
  
“Chris are you saying that you know where she is?”  
  
“No, that’s just it, she took off, but before she did I got a good look at her.”  
  
“Well someone like that is rather easy on the eyes,” Derek shrugged.  
  
“No Derek, you don’t understand. This woman, she’s not who she says she is. Her name isn’t Holly Masters and I know that for a fact.”  
  
“How can you be so sure?”  
  
“Because her name is Eve Lambert,” Chris blurted out determined more than ever that the face in the photograph of the woman he’d tried to move beyond, “she was my roommate back in Port Charles.”  
  
“Chris, while you say she looks like someone you know, this is a black and white photo.”  
  
“Derek, this is Eve. I’m sure of it,” Chris insisted, “I would never, ever forget her face and this is her.”  
  
“Eve huh?” Derek looked at the photo again, “well I must say I wish I’d had a roommate so pretty, but still this woman doesn‘t seem like someone who‘d be around you especially when you know she‘s married to a jerk like Masters.”  
  
“She isn’t married to him,” Chris shook his head, “something else is going on.”  
  
“Hey Chris, I realize you’ve been bored with your life but this kind of excitement would be best left for the police....”  
  
“Derek, you don’t understand, this woman is Eve Lambert, the great love of my life,” Chris blurted out, “I would never, ever forget her face and I’m telling you that when I was with this woman tonight despite her denial on her identity I’m sure that she was Eve. I‘d bet my life on it.”  
  
“Chris, that’s a pretty fierce accusation there. How can you be so sure?” Derek questioned again.  
  
“Oh I’m sure,” Chris replied tucking the photo into his pocket as he found himself determined to discover the truth about the woman he’d encountered. One way or another he would find out what the real story behind Holly Masters was and he wouldn’t stop until he knew the truth.


	2. Chapter 2

  
“Knock, knock,” Melissa called out entering her brother’s apartment as she found him buried in work, “hey you, I’ve been trying to reach you for days here.”  
  
“I’ve been busy,” Chris confessed thumbing through old newspaper articles.  
  
“Apparently so,” she noted with a slight frown, “when Derek told me that you’d been obsessed with this missing person’s case since the two of you went out the other night, I didn’t really believe it, but now....”  
  
“Missy, that woman, when I saw her,” Chris looked up at his sister, “she’s Eve. I know it.”  
  
“Chris, I know you’d like to think she’s Eve,” she noted the things laying around his apartment, “but Chris, her name is Holly and she’s married to one of the most powerful men in this area.”  
  
“See that’s where I don’t buy it,” Chris argued, “she talked to me the other night. She knew my name and she asked me to help her.”  
  
“Chris,” Missy frowned as she noted the shadow of a beard forming over his features, “I know that you’re interested in this story about Roger Master’s wife, but I’m telling you now, it’s not something you want to dig into.”  
  
“Missy, you don’t understand,” Chris explained with a sigh, “that woman, she wasn’t just any woman. She was Eve Lambert. I know it.”  
  
“Chris, I know how you felt about Eve,” Melissa sighed, “I talked to Jack yesterday and he told me about Eve, about her death and how it effected you.”  
  
“It did effect me, but that’s not why I’m doing this,” Chris explained rising from the chair he was in as he moved over beside his sister, “come and check this out. I want to show you something.”  
  
“Chris, I know you mean well, but still...” she argued realizing that Chris was worse off than she’d anticipated, “you know I realize you think this is important, but you can’t just stay locked up in here. You need to get out, you know meet some people maybe spend some time with your co-workers.”  
  
“Missy, just hear me out,” Chris pointed to one of the articles before him on the table, “this was the first thing I’d found on Holly Masters. It‘s dated April 10th, 2002.”  
  
“I see that Chris, but what exactly that proves is...”  
  
“It proves that she wasn’t around here before that time,” Chris thumbed through other articles, “Sure there are things on Roger, but nothing on his wife Holly.”  
  
“Chris, that doesn’t mean anything. Roger’s been in the media for a while given the nature of his shady dealings.”  
  
“Exactly, but his wife hasn’t been,” Chris argued noting her look of skepticism, “just hear me out. If a man like Roger Masters spent so much time in the media, then you’d think that the media would target in on his family, including his wife.”  
  
“Chris, the man would probably like to keep his life private,” she frowned, “especially knowing how dirty it is.”  
  
“Clearly I can see that, but then I found this,” Chris handed her another piece of paper.  
  
“Chris, what is this?” Missy questioned curiously looking at the slip she held in her hand.  
  
“It’s a receipt for a chapel,” Chris informed her, “it’s a small place in Atlantic City and according to that statement Roger Masters was there on the 2nd of April and he made a sizable donation there, which to me seems like perhaps he paid for a quickie ceremony, thus bringing Holly into the picture.”  
  
“Chris, how did you get your hands on a bank statement like this?”  
  
“You don’t want to know,” Chris confessed moving around the kitchen, “but don’t you see that all makes sense? Holly was nothing more than a name before April of 2002 and now she’s a reality.”  
  
“Okay, so maybe he wanted to keep his wife a private part of his life or maybe they waited until now to renew their vows,” Missy suggested, “you don’t know what that’s all about.”  
  
“Maybe not, but Eve got into her accident at the end of March....”  
  
“Chris, you need to stop and think about this. I know that Eve Lambert meant a lot to you, but she’s dead,” Missy reminded him, “Jack told me all about the accident and how there was nothing that anyone could do for her. I know about what happened to her.”  
  
“Missy, I realize that you think I’m crazy, but you didn’t see that woman. You weren’t with her and I’m telling you with a clear conscious that I know she was Eve,” Chris argued, “believe me I would know her anywhere.”  
  
“Chris, I know that you loved her and when you love someone you would do just about anything to hold on to them, but Chris, she’s gone. Eve Lambert died back in Port Charles and you can’t let that memory of her destroy you.”  
  
“Missy, it’s not destroying me,” Chris argued with her, “it’s that memory of Eve that keeps me hanging on. It’s that hope I felt after I ran into her the other night that keeps me alive.”  
  
“Chris, you ran into a woman who had a considerable amount of problems with her husband, a woman who knew nothing of you or even Eve Lambert. What you found when you were at that dump with Derek was trouble in the form of a woman named Holly Masters.”  
  
“Holly Masters isn’t her name. It’s Eve Lambert,” Chris argued with her, “and she is the woman I fell in love with all those years ago.”  
  
“Chris, it’s been a while,” Missy argued with him, “I know you want to believe, but....”  
  
“Take a good look at these articles,” Chris motioned to the papers on his table, “tell me what you see.”  
  
“What do you want me to see?”  
  
“You see a great deal of photos of Roger, but with Holly there are no pictures, none what so ever, even in this article they did up on her,” Chris remarked, “now don’t you find that odd?”  
  
“Chris, I don’t find it anything, but chilling. As I said before Holly Masters is a deeply troubled woman with a list of problems that goes far beyond you and I. Chris, I mean seriously think about it. A woman who was spending time with her is dead which makes her a murder suspect there. Right now what Holly Masters needs is a good lawyer and a safe place to stay away from the nut ball of a husband.”  
  
“That’s just it,” Chris argued, “I don’t think that she had anything to do with that murder. I think that is some kind of setup and she’s in some kind of trouble and she needs me. Eve needs me.”  
  
“There you go again,” Missy pointed out, “you just called her Eve again.”  
  
“It is Eve,” Chris argued with her, “I’m sure of it.”  
  
“Chris, just because you want to believe it doesn’t make it true.”  
  
“Then look at this,” Chris pulled the photograph Derek had been given the other night out of the pile of things that he’d been looking through, “take a good look at her face and then ask yourself why you haven’t seen her face on the news. Why if she’s missing and her husband is worried, then why haven’t we seen her face pop up anywhere other than that photo that Derek received?”  
  
“Chris, I don’t know. I mean maybe they just wanted to keep it quiet.”  
  
“No, they didn’t want her face to get too far out,” Chris argued taking the photo back, “some drunks at a bar weren’t going to be anyone to really point out anything strange about what was going on. They aren’t going to say something like someone who watched a national show might. They don’t anticipate something to come of a few random views of a photo at a bar, but to take it to the media when they’ve been so careful to keep her face out of the papers....”  
  
“Chris, would you listen to yourself? You sound like a man obsessed. This thing is eating away at you and if you don’t put a stop to it, it’ll be the death of you.”  
  
“They death of me would be to let go of this hope and I won’t do it. Not when I know Eve is out there.”  
  
“Eve is dead,” Missy repeated again realizing her older brother was further gone than she’d anticipated.  
  
“No,” he reached over to his desk top and tossed a photograph down on the table beside the one of Holly Masters he’d retained, “she’s not. Take a long, hard look at that Missy. Look at her. That woman is the same one as the woman in the picture with me back in my old apartment. The woman I encountered the other night was Eve Lambert.”  
  
“Chris,” Missy inspected the photos, “while they have some rather striking features, you can’t be sure that....”  
  
“I’m sure,” Chris looked to the time, “and I’m going to prove it.”  
  
“Chris, you don’t want to get wrapped up in the Masters family drama. You’ll get in over your head before you know it and there won’t be any turning back.”  
  
“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done it,” Chris confessed rubbing his shoulder lightly before he moved his fingers through his thick hair, “and it most certainly won’t be the last either.”  
  
“Chris, I wish you’d reconsider this quest to find this woman,” Missy frowned again.  
  
“I need to know the truth,” Chris explained with a sigh, “I have to do this.”  
  
“Just promise me that you won’t get hurt in doing so. You don't know what kind of man you’ll be up against.”  
  
“I’ll play it safe,” Chris promised reaching out to hug his sister, “I offer that much to you.”  
  
“Well whatever you decide Chris, just make sure you don’t get hurt,” Missy hugged him in return, “I’ve waited far too long for us to be a family again only to lose you to the ghost of a woman who’s been long gone.”  
  
“I’m right about this Missy,” Chris replied confidently, “you’ll see.”  
  
“I hope so Chris,” she sighed again, “I just don’t want you hurt. Whatever you discover might be something that will change the course of your life somehow.”  
  
“That’s what I’m hoping for,” he answered honestly as he looked at the clock once more, “and while I’d love to continue this conversation with you I have an appointment this afternoon. Wish me luck.”  
  
“With who? Where are you going?”  
  
“To find the truth,” Chris confessed hopeful to get the answers that would lead him one step closer to Holly Masters and to proving once and for all that Eve Lambert was very much alive.  
  
******************************************  
  
“So what exactly is it you’re looking for on here Dr. Ramsey?” Carl Munster questioned as he looked up at Chris over the reflection of the neon flashing lights overhead in the small bar they‘d met at.  
  
  
“I’m looking for any kind of records you can find on her. You know credit reports, birth records,” Chris explained smoothly to the man before him, “anything that might help me in finding her whereabouts.”  
  
“And you don’t think that her family might’ve already tried this route?”  
  
“I think that you’ll do a better job than they did,” Chris confessed, “you’ve come highly recommended to me.”  
  
“Even so, you do realize that by accessing these kind of records I’m breaking at least half a dozen laws in the process,” the man explained pointedly.  
  
“I realize that,” Chris nodded accordingly as he looked around the smoky, darkened atmosphere as he noted a couple across the way lost in their own laughter.  
  
“And in doing this for you, I hope you also realize that this kind of work isn’t for free, not when I’m putting myself on the line,” Carl replied point blank.  
  
“I don’t think you have to worry about compensation,” Chris slid an envelope across the table towards Carl, “I’m sure you’ll find that to be a nice beginning for us.”  
  
Carl took the time to open the envelope and scan it’s contents before he closed it with a pleased smile, “It’s a start.”  
  
“Good,” Chris smiled in response, “and there will be more for you on the way once you give me what I’m looking for.”  
  
“It might take some time.”  
  
“I’m sure you can get it for me soon,” Chris replied taking another look around, “time is of the essence here.”  
  
“I’ll do my best,” Carl nodded before eyeing Chris intently, “though I must ask. What’s in it for you?”  
  
“More than you can possibly imagine,” Chris answered flatly tossing a few bills on the table top before moving to leave the bar, “I trust you won’t fail me.”  
  
“I’ll do my best,” Carl replied as Chris stepped out of the small cantina making his way to his car parked over at the end of the lot.  
  
Feeling the wind pick up a bit, Chris was surprised to feel the temperature drop a bit on this warm Texas evening. It had to be the first since he’d arrived in town, but now as he anticipated going home to dig up more information on Holly Masters, he realized he was now more driven than ever to find her. If he could prove to himself and to the world that she was in fact Eve Lambert, then there would be no stopping him. He would finally be given that second chance and this time around, he wouldn’t waste it on silence.  
  
Chris got into his car and put the keys in the ignition as he felt a cold metal up against his neck and he instantly recognized it as the barrel of a gun as a harsh whisper captured his attention from the backseat.  
  
“Don’t move,” the voice warned as Chris remained still, “rumor has it you’re looking for Holly Masters, is that true?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Chris answered trying to make out the face from behind the shadows, “you tell me.”  
  
“You are Dr. Chris Ramsey, aren’t you?” the voice questioned pressing the barrel of the gun against his neck further.  
  
“That all depends,” Chris answered smoothly trying to come off as unaffected by the threat to his life.  
  
“What if I told you I could help you find her?” the voice questioned as the gun was removed from his neck, “would you be interested?”  
  
“How do I know you’re for real?” Chris challenged.  
  
“How do you know I won’t kill you?” the voice threatened again as Chris felt the gun up against him once more, “the choice is yours Dr. Ramsey. You can hear what I have to say about Holly and you can let me help you find her, or you can disregard my offer and you can die. What will it be?”


	3. Chapter 3

  
“Well?” the voice questioned again as Chris felt the impatient dark eyes upon him through the rear view mirror.

While his pulse quickened and he felt a cold sweat coming on, Chris took in a deep breath before answering, “What makes you think I’d be interested in whatever it is you think you have for me?”

“I already told you,” the voice threatened, “it’s your trust in me or your life.”

“Why would I trust in you when I can’t see your face,” Chris challenged, “surely you should realize that waving a gun at me, aiming it at the back of my head is no way to start any kind of information exchange. Wouldn’t you agree?”

There was a thick silence within the car before the voice instructed in an even tone once more, “Drive.”

“What was that?” Chris questioned as he felt the barrel of the gun pressed against his temple once again.

“Drive now!” the voice instructed as Chris complied starting up the engine on his car before turning on the headlights and turning out of the parking lot.

“Just out of morbid personal curiosity,” Chris began once they’d taken a few minutes on a path away from the bar he’d met with Carl at, “where is it that you’d like me to be taking you to since you seem to be rather uninformative with me?”

“Pull over up ahead,” the voice urged further as Chris took an exit ramp leading into a dusty road up ahead, “this is good. Stop here.”

Chris did as instructed turning the car off as he awaited the response of his unwelcome guest. His eyes drifted towards the rear view mirror as the passenger shifted a bit drawing back the gun ever so slightly, yet keeping it in clear view as a constant reminder to Chris not to make the wrong move.

“What is it that brings you out here Dr. Ramsey,” the voice questioned skeptically, “a man of your sort of reputation doesn’t tend to frequent these places, at least that‘s what I‘ve been informed.”

“You told me to stop here,” Chris replied with a hint of sarcasm noting the scattered brush ahead of the road. His eyes drifted to the dead end sign up ahead as he silently questioned his passengers motivations. However, as his eyes fell upon the silver tip of the gun once again, he pressed on with his otherwise cool demeanor never once allowing a moment of fear to slip through his tone, “this was your idea.”

“No, that’s not what I meant,” the passenger explained with an exasperated sigh, “what is it that you’re looking for with Holly?”

Chris reluctantly answered thinking it over for a moment, “What makes you think I want anything with someone named Holly? I don‘t even know a Holly.”

“I’ve heard you were looking around. I know you‘ve been asking about her,” the paranoid voice explained as Chris tried to get a better look at his guest, but he was thwarted by the gun beside his head once more, “and I’m not the only one you know. Word spreads like wildfire in these parts and you’re lucky it’s just me who found you other wise you might be on the receiving end of a bullet through the head sooner than you‘d imagine.”

“I don’t know if I’d consider myself lucky for that seeing as you are dead set on keeping that gun to my head,” Chris answered dryly as he turned his eyes out into the night.

“I just need to be sure that you can be trusted, that you aren’t like the rest of them after Holly. I had to be sure you weren‘t like the others,” the voice continued.

“The others?” Chris questioned curiously, “what others?”

“Look, she’s in a world of trouble, big trouble,” the voice explained after a moment‘s hesitation, “she’s in way over her head and you, well you sound like you are truly concerned, but I needed to know. I needed to see for myself before I told you everything.”

“Where is she?” Chris questioned listening intently, “where did she go to?”

“I don’t know if I can tell you that yet. I’m not sure how trustworthy you are,” the voice explained further, “while you seem like you might be different and willing to help Holly, I can’t be sure you have good intentions where she’s concerned, that you are someone to be trusted just yet...”

“I am,” Chris answered after a moment’s hesitation, “she’s very important to me. I want to help her. I need to help her.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s very important to me and I want to help her out of this trouble she’s found herself wrapped up in,” Chris continued honestly.

“How can I be sure of that?”

“She’s my friend,” Chris explained with a sigh, “she and I go way back and I need to find her.”

“Holly doesn’t want to be found right now, so in finding her it’s going to be rather difficult without my help because I‘m one of the only people who know where to look, but right now I’m not sure if I trust you or not,” the voice continued once again a hint of skepticism behind it.

“Look I should be the one with major trust issues,” Chris countered once again, “here you are with a gun to my head threatening me and all I’m doing is giving you the answers you seemingly want. Look,” Chris reached into his pocket as he felt the gun against his temple. He withdrew his hands from his pocket, “I’m just getting a photograph. It’s in the jacket’s right breast pocket and if you don’t believe me, you can reach for it yourself.”

There was a brief hesitation before a nod, “No, you can get it.”

“See, now was it that hard to offer up a bit of leeway here,” Chris questioned pulling out the photograph of him and Eve at his apartment before offering it up to his phantom passenger, “now is it so hard for you to believe I care about her?”

“What is this? How did you get this?” the voice questioned again.

“We go way back,” Chris continued, “we lived together for a while before she vanished. She was my best friend, my only real friend and I care about her very much. If she‘s in trouble, then I want to help her like she‘s helped me in the past.”

“Then you really do know Holly?”

“Of course I do,” Chris nodded once again, “I know her very well and I want to help her. You can see in that photo just how much I care about her, can’t you?”

There was a moment of lingering silence before the man held the photo back out for Chris, “I believe you,” he explained lowering the gun, “you can turn the light on now if you like.”

Chris did as instructed and his eyes fell upon the sickly looking man in the backseat of the car. His pale skin seemed almost translucent as Chris took note of the white blonde hair hanging a bit over the sunken brown eyes staring back at him in the rearview mirror. Chris slowly turned around realizing that while the gun had appeared to be threatening the man holding it was anything but a threat to Chris. His frail appearance was topped off with the brace that secured his left leg in place over the backseat of the car.

“I’m sorry for this,” he apologized setting the gun down on the seat beside him as Chris took in his appearance, “but as you can clearly see this was the only means of protecting myself that I had for the time being.”

“H-how did you get in here?” Chris questioned noting the folded up walking apparatus behind the passenger seat of the car.

“It wasn’t easy,” the man explained with a shrug, “the breaking in was the easy part, but I must confess that I’ve learned how to get around after years of being like this,” he shrugged again noticing the questioning look on Chris’ features as Chris’ eyes tapered off over the place where a right leg was seemingly absent from the passenger in the backseat of his car, “go on and ask if you like. You wouldn‘t be the first,” the man motioned to the small stump remaining just above his right knee, “I was in a major crash at sixteen. I’d just gotten my license and this freight truck ran a red light straight into my little Ford Festiva. The doctors said I was lucky to be alive, but as for my leg, they couldn’t say the same as it didn’t stand a chance of recovery. They had to take the d**n thing off right there on the spot,” he explained seriously, “they just popped the d**n thing off with me screaming in terror as I watched them carry it all the way out the door. Although they did let me keep it afterwards and I have it mounted up on a wall at home in honor of Sweet Sixteen.”

“You’re kidding,” Chris replied a bit surprised still by his guest as a smile cracked over the young man’s otherwise stoic features.

“Actually, I was born this way,” he confessed extending his hand out to Chris, “a birth defect so they say, but as I tell Holly the accident story just seems so much better. She tells me all the time that it‘s far too morbid of a tale to use, but if she could‘ve seen the look on your face, I‘d say that it clearly is a much better tale.”

“Then you two are rather close huh,” Chris replied with a nod not knowing what to say as he watched the young man behind him speak affectionately about Holly Masters.

“The closest,” he nodded, “she’s the sister I never had, but sure as hell always wanted,” the man extended his hand once more, “perhaps it’s time to skip to the pleasantries since you have no idea who I am.”

“That might be nice,” Chris hesitated, “but only if I can have that thing,” he motioned to the gun.

“Sure why not,” the man shrugged picking it up and handing it to Chris, “it’s not loaded anyways. The name is Seth. Seth Marx.”

“Chris Ramsey,” Chris accepted the gun hurriedly as he checked the barrel swiftly before realizing Seth was telling him the truth, “tell me something Seth, do you always hop into the back seat of a stranger’s car threatening them with a bullet free gun for kicks?”

“Not usually,” Seth shrugged, “though when they take an interest in Holly, I tend to make it my own personal interest.”

“I see and what if I’d turned out to be the kind of guy you suspected I might’ve been? You know the kind who would have no qualms about murdering you and leaving you out in the middle of this place for the wildlife?” Chris taunted with a serious expression thinking of the moments of panic Seth had put him through before revealing himself.

“If you’d done those things, you’d never find Holly,” Seth sat up straighter, a bit more confident, “besides Holly was the one who sent me looking for you. She told me you’d be a girl thingycat when I found you. The theatrics was just my touch after I saw you back in the bar talking to Carl Munster, or should I say Carlos Martise?”

“Excuse me?” Chris blinked back at him.

“Well in case you didn’t know what you were getting into back there, not only did you make yourself known to myself, but you’d managed to make contact with another group of people looking for Holly. Carlos, was hired by Roger Masters to find Holly shortly before you two made contact with one another,” Seth explained, “and if they had it their way you’d lead them straight to Holly, but I found you first, at least I hope I found you in time to keep things from getting out of hand. I hope you didn‘t reveal too much of yourself and your intentions back there or else you might discover they could come back to haunt you.”

“I asked the man to help me find Holly, nothing more,” Chris answered after a moment, “however, why should I believe anything you’re saying to me? So far you’d put a gun to my head, made me drive out into the middle of no where so you could tell me that you could lead me to Holly, yet you’ve made no attempt to do so. How do I know that you are to be trusted?”

“The first rule Dr. Ramsey is trust no one,” Seth admitted honestly, “but with that in mind, I offer you proof of what I can give to you. I can take you to Holly.”

“So what’s stopping you?” Chris questioned again.

“Not a thing. Holly wants to meet with you, to speak with you,” Seth answered, “but if I find out that Holly was wrong about you, then don’t let my condition fool you, I’ll have no choice but to eliminate you, is that understood?”

“You drive a tough game Seth,” Chris answered tightly keeping his conversation to a minimum, “but enough with the games take me to Holly now,” Chris instructed determined to get the answers he was searching for.

************

 

“Holly, girl we need to talk,” Lula Murphy explained making her way into the back room finding her friend seated behind the computer against the wall. The lights were blinking and flashing as Holly typed away at the keyboard taking in as much as she could on the mysterious Dr. Chris Ramsey and his search for her within a matter of moments, “Holly, are you listening to me?”

“No, not really,” Holly shook her head spinning around in her chair to face Lula as she leaned back a bit placing her arms behind her head, “was I supposed to be?”

“As a matter of fact, you were,” Lula frowned, “do you have any idea what you could’ve brought us into by having Seth chase after that doctor of yours?”

“I don’t see the trouble in it,” Holly shrugged, “Seth knows what he’s doing and I’m sure Chris Ramsey wasn’t a problem.”

“Wasn’t a problem,” Lula shook her head in dismay, “have you been looking over that screen of yours there or has the internet fried your brain? That man is more trouble than he’s worth and you’re having Seth bring him here. What are you thinking girl?”

“I’m thinking that Chris Ramsey might be exactly what I need right now,” Holly answered with a confident smirk as she leaned back in her chair.

“I don’t think that’s it,” Lula shook her head, “in fact I’m willing to guess that your bringing him here has more to do with what that good looking man can do for you on a personal level rather than him helping the cause because clearly he is a bit of a rogue himself.”

“Indeed he is,” Holly smiled looking back to her computer screen as she memorized his features, “but you must admit there's nothing wrong with finding him incredibly sexy. Just because I could find myself attracted to him doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten what my purpose is in bringing him here. I need him Lula.”

“What you need is to stop thinking with your hormones and think of what might happen if Roger finds out where you are. Right now we’re doing alright in keeping you here, but with Erin’s murder and the hunt for you....” Lula objected once more.

“Lula, you need to relax,” Holly let out a sigh, “everything is going to work out just fine. You’ll see,” she turned to her friend, “so do me a favor. When Dr. Ramsey arrives can you send him into the back as I’ll be waiting there for him?”

“Holly, what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Lula watched as her friend rose from the chair she was in as a twisted smirk washed over Holly’s features, “don’t get any funny ideas about that man.”

“Funny isn’t exactly the word I’d use for it,” Holly winked at her before disappearing into the hallway as Lula was left wondering what Holly had planned for the unsuspecting doctor.

***********************

Chris Ramsey made his way into the darkened structure of a building as his eyes took in his surroundings. While he hadn’t imagined this journey to finding Holly would lead him to this kind of place, there was something cryptic about it, something that Chris couldn’t quite put his finger on as he reluctantly followed Seth into the shadow covered hallway of the building.

“I’m sorry for the darkness, but it’s better this way,” Seth explained as a woman appeared up ahead from a door at the end of the hallway, “Lula,” Seth greeted her with a smile, “look what I brought with me.”

“The infamous Dr. Ramsey,” Lula noted eyeing him intently as she scanned him over, “we’ve heard a great deal about you. The question is are you as good as Holly says you are?”

“Better I’m sure,” Chris answered confidently not knowing what Holly Masters had to say about him as he followed Seth through the door Lula had emerged from.

“We’ve been expecting you for a while,” Lula confessed stepping in behind Chris as she closed the thick door behind them leaving nothing to return to as darkness enveloped them.

After a moment Chris’ eyes adjusted to the blackness and he found a strange florescent black light overhead as the sounds of computers and various other machines filled the air surrounding them. He noted the computer monitors to the left as Seth stepped aside making his way into one of the rooms.

“This is where I leave you,” Seth nodded motioning back to the table set up in the far corner of the room, “good luck with Holly.”

“Where are you going?” Chris questioned curiously.

“He has work to do,” Lula placed her hand on his shoulder, “we all have something to attend to here, but what you’re looking for, well, it’s down there,” she motioned to a door up ahead. “Holly’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Chris nodded taking in a breath as he made his way down the hallway determined to get the answers he was looking for as Holly Masters and the truth about Eve Lambert awaited him behind the door that stood before him. Very soon his journey would come to rest and he would know the truth sooner than anticipated.

Taking in a deep breath, Chris placed his hand over the doorknob twisting it slowly as the soft creaking sound filled the darkened hallway behind him. He glanced over his shoulder briefly finding Lula had left the hallway as he opened the door fully making his way into the room before him. Much to his surprise, the room at the end of the hall was filled with mirrors and decorated in a white, lacy, almost dreamlike decor. There was a small white vinyl table to the left of him with two matching chairs and a lush canopy bed in the center of the room draped in white satin and lace. As Chris stepped forward, he took in the surroundings wondering why this room had differed so much from the rest of the place as he heard a soft sound from behind him. Turning around he found himself face to face with Holly Masters.

“I hear you’ve been looking for me,” her voice offered up in a low, seductive tone as her fingers moved over the lapels of his jacket toying with them slightly as a smile washed over her beautiful features, “and as you can clearly see here I am,” she finished leaning forward to kiss him passionately as Chris was rendered speechless by the heat of her mouth over his. Saying nothing, he placed his arms around her holding her closer to him as the memory of Eve haunted him more than ever with her warmth surrounding him. Her soft form crushed up against him as his finger pressed over the soft satin of her nightgown and then almost as soon as the kiss had began, it ended and she withdrew from his arms wiping her lips approvingly.

“Nice,” she offered with a smile brushing past him as she tossed her dark hair over her shoulder, “can I get you a drink?”

“Certainly,” Chris answered breathless as he watched her move across the room, the soft, seductive lines of her body revealed to him through the delicate satin of her negligee, “I’ll take a....”

“Martini,” she glanced over her shoulder at him throwing out a soft smile before picking up the glass she had waiting for him, “I’d planned ahead,” she carried two glasses over towards him before handing him one, “I hope it’s to your liking.”

“I’m sure it will be,” he sipped it slowly unable to believe his eyes as she watched him intently.

“Well?”

“It’s like heaven,” Chris answered with a light smile.

“No, you haven’t seen heaven yet,” she promised boldly reaching for him again as she moved her lips just over his, “but we’ll get there soon enough.” With a smile she released him tossing her hair over her shoulders once more as she motioned towards the bed, “take a seat and tell me what it is you think I can do for you.”

“Why don’t you start by telling me what’s going on here?” Chris questioned after a moment’s hesitation as she reached for his hand, “what are you involved in?”

“Now is that any way to start a conversation,” she smiled at him pushing him down onto the bed. He fell back into a seated position as she crawled into his lap both legs draped over the outside of his thighs before making herself comfortable. She offered up a playful grin before loosening up his tie a bit, “I don’t think that’s really why you’re here, is it Ramsey?”

“I need to know.....” Chris started once more as she kissed him again thwarting any answers he was seeking.

“You know what you need to know,” she whispered her arms curling around his neck as her lips moved just below his ear, “you want to know if I’m here. If I’m the woman you seek,” she breathed against his skin as her arms hugged him closer, “so you tell me Chris, am I?”

Chris closed his eyes feeling her lips over his neck kissing him languorously as a breath expelled from his lips. Here she was in his arms, in his grasp and yet something about it felt so strange, so...he pulled back slightly looking into her eyes.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked touching her face, “why aren’t you being honest with me?”

“I think this is as honest as it gets, don’t you,” she leaned in for another kiss as he stopped her.

“No, something is going on here, something you aren’t telling me, something you don’t want me to know,” Chris insisted searching her eyes desperately, “what is this place and how did you end up here?”

“So many questions,” she shook her head loosening his tie further, “and so little time,” her lips tapered off over his skin as her fingers danced over the buttons on his shirt opening it slowly just enough to slip her fingers within to touch his warm chest, “let’s forget about all those tedious questions for a while because Chris right now what you need,” she captured his mouth again, “what we both need is right here between us, just like this,” she finished in between kisses as his arms pressed around her slender form, “that’s right,” she purred against his lips as he kissed her again, “oh Chris, let’s make love. You want that don’t you? You‘ve waited a long time for this,” she continued her fingers enticing his skin with her every movement, “and so have I.”

“Can we?” he questioned his fingers lazily roaming over her body before his grip on her tightened.

“That’s right,” she drank up his kisses feeling him giving in to her power of seduction as he held her burying his lips over the soft skin of her shoulder, “just give in to pleasure. Give in to me.”

“I want that,” he confessed kissing her again as she tipped back in his arms offering herself up to him. He secured his hold around her waist before finally shifting her back onto the center of the bed so that he was over her. He kissed her once more before drawing back searching her eyes.

“What are you waiting for?” she questioned in confusion as she touched his face, “Chris?”

“I’m waiting for the truth,” he explained firmly as he searched her eyes, “you’re not Eve Lambert, are you?”

“I’m anything you want me to be Ramsey,” she coaxed further as she leaned up to kiss him once more before he turned away from her.

“No, no you aren’t,” he pulled away from her trying to even his breath as it finally dawned upon him that his endless search was completed in this one moment that this beautiful woman called upon him to make love to her. She wasn’t Eve, she’d never been Eve and Derek and Melissa were right. He’d landed himself in something that was far over his head and now he had nothing to show for it except this failed encounter with this woman. Turning away from her, he began to walk across the room searching for his jacket she’d managed to toss aside in her urgency to get him into bed, “this was a mistake,” he muttered walking towards the door, “I shouldn’t be here.”

“Maybe not,” her voice explained as he felt her standing behind him, “but you’re not going anywhere,” she finished as a clicking sound filled the room surrounding them, “I wouldn’t walk out that door if I were you Dr. Ramsey.”

He turned to face her finding a gun pointed at his back as her face was twisted with fury. He blinked back at her in surprise, “You won’t shoot me.”

“You’d be amazed what a desperate woman in my position would do,” she explained pulling up the strap on her nightgown as she watched him planning his retreat, “and at this moment time I’d have no qualms about shooting you. You have my word on that.”

“I don’t think you will,” Chris challenged stepping in towards her slowly.

“Don’t tempt me Dr. Ramsey,” she warned, “you mean nothing to me because as you clearly stated yourself I’m not Eve Lambert, the woman you’ve been seeking.”

“Even so, I saved your butt the other night,” he reminded her sharply, “and you owe me that.”

“I don’t owe you a thing,” she answered aiming at his heart, “who sent you here? What is it you want from me?”

“I wanted to know the truth, to know if you were Eve, but clearly I was mistaken,” he explained seeing the anger behind her eyes as he stepped forward once again.

“Don’t move,” she snapped at him, “if you make one more step closer, I’ll kill you.”

“No you won’t,” Chris shook his head, “with all the trouble you went through to get me here, you want something from me, so murdering me isn’t in the game plan, is it Ms. Masters?”

“Look at my face. Look at how hard I have to work to keep from blowing your head off,” she lowered the gun a bit, “or something more important to you.”

“What did you just say?” he questioned in surprise at her words as he noted something in her eyes, in her face that changed the air about her. It was almost as if...

“Don’t tempt me to shoot you Chris because I will,” she warned him as the door to the room opened and Seth entered.

“Holly, we need you back in there,” he explained looking between her and Chris, “bad time?”

“No, not at all,” she shook her head while keeping the gun pointed over at Chris. Making her way across the room, she reached for a robe that had been draped over one of the vinyl chairs. Carefully slipping into it, she withdrew a cigarette from the pocket swiftly lighting it while keeping her eye on Chris, “on the contrary, Dr. Ramsey just volunteered to lend a helping hand, isn’t that right Chris?”

“It doesn’t seem as though I have a choice, do I?” Chris questioned bitterly as she stepped in towards him.

“In this particular situation,” she shook her head lowering the gun as an icy smile washed over her features, “no, but you might learn to like this predicament you’ve found yourself in,” she pressed the gun into the center of his chest as her cold brown eyes fixed upon his, “now move.”

“Tell me something Holly,” Chris began sharply as he felt her jab him again with the gun, “who do you see when you do this? When you have this gun in my chest? Greg Cooper or me?”

“What?” she questioned giving him a strange look, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course not,” he answered flatly as she shoved him towards the doorway as he found himself all too convinced that there was more to this story than meets the eye, “then again maybe if I was Ian Thornhart or Kevin Collins and I was talking about the virtues of Lucy Coe, then you’d find me a bit more interesting. Wasn’t that always the game with you?” he questioned over his shoulder, “a man treats you like dirt and then you’re more receptive to him?”

“That’s it,” Holly answered feeling a sharp fit of anger coarse through her as she hit him with the butt of the gun knocking him down to the ground as Seth looked to her in amazement.

“What did you just do?” he questioned blankly.

“I just changed my mind,” Holly answered matter of fact feeling the sting of his words, “he can’t help us after all.”

“Holly, but you were so convinced,” Seth began as she stepped over him.

“I was wrong,” Holly answered sharply giving Chris one last look, “I don’t want him here.”

“Holly, it’s a little late for you to decide that...”

“Just get rid of him,” Holly brushed past him as Seth looked to the fallen doctor wondering what he’d done to get Holly so worked up.

As Holly rushed into the darkened hallway, she felt her breath fall from her lips with an exaggerated sigh as she closed her eyes leaning into the wall as she tried to calm the anger Chris Ramsey had drawn out in her. What had he said that really effected her? He was just talking garbage, but something about what he’d said, the way he’d said it...

“Holly, what did you do?” Lula questioned seeing Holly leaning against the wall fighting the ache in her head.

“I don’t want that man here,” Holly answered out of breath, “I made a mistake.”

“What happened in there?”

“He can’t help us,” Holly insisted, “he shouldn’t be here. He just shouldn’t be here.”

“Holly, what happened?” Lula questioned again as Holly marched down the hallway angrily as Seth appeared. Lula turned to him. “What went on in there?”

“She knocked out the good doctor,” Seth shrugged with a sigh, “I think she kind of likes him.”

“How do you figure,” Lula gave him a curious look.

“I haven’t seen her that worked up by a man in a while,” Seth shrugged again, “but then again maybe that’s what it was that she liked enough to have me bring him here. In fact, check this out,” Seth handed her the photograph Chris had shown them, “it looks like they used to have fun together.”

“This is them?” Lula raised a curious brow, “Holly and Chris?”

“He kept calling her Eve, but I don’t care what Holly says,” Seth shook his head, “dead woman or not unless our Holly has a twin sister, I think she’s been leading a double life and that man who’s laying unconscious in that other room is a part of it.”

“Eve Lambert is dead,” Lula explained her eyes fixed upon the photograph.

“Holly says that,” Seth shrugged, “but you didn’t see her deck him back there. I’m not so sure Holly’s been up front with us. In fact, if I were to wager a bet here....”

“Seth, your job is to work on that computer of yours,” Lula reminded him harshly, “not to place bets on Holly’s motivations.”

“Hey, whatever I’m just calling it like I see it,” Seth raised his hands in the air, “I saw sexual chemistry between them so thick you could cut with a knife...”

“And you need a new hobby,” Lula pointed out with a frown, “so why don’t you get back to work before Holly comes back and the better part of her decides to deck you too?”

“That might be fun,” Seth teased as Lula glared at him, “alright I’m going. I’m going,” he finished moving over to his little spot in the room again as Lula looked back to the photograph wondering what really happened with Holly Masters before she came to this little project of theirs. Perhaps it was time for Lula to begin her own investigation of the powerful mob princess turned ally. Thinking back to the unconscious Dr. Ramsey in the back room, Lula decided that maybe just maybe she’d take the time indulging herself in an interrogation of him because after all, she reasoned it would be for the greater good of the purpose. With that in mind, Lulu turned back to the room Chris had been left in eager to know just what his ties were to Holly and more so just what it was about him that drove Holly Masters crazy. One way or another she’d have fun in learning all about Dr. Ramsey, that much she was certain of.


	4. Chapter 4

Lula looked at her sleeping patient as she couldn’t help but take note of the unconscious doctor’s handsome features. Wiping a damp cloth over his brow, she could easily see why Holly had been interested in him, but more so what puzzled her was the way in which Holly seemed so upset by his presence. Holly had gone to painstaking lengths to bring this attractive man to their hideaway and yet seeing as Holly had laid him out flat on the ground determined to get rid of him, there was something about him that added to Lula’s curiosity. Dipping the rag in the cool bowl of water seated beside her once more, Lula began to wring it out a bit as Chris groggily opened his dark eyes finding the blonde woman beside him.

“Wh-where am I?” Chris questioned a bit hazy on where he’d ended up as he took in the white lace canopy overhead.

“Holly likes to call this heaven,” Lula offered with a kind smile, “though I tend to think she had a bit of hell in her earlier when she’d left you on the floor.”

“Holly,” Chris’ voice tightened with anger thinking back to their dispute as he tried to sit up feeling a rush of dizziness wash over him.

Instantly Lula’s hand went to his shoulder trying to ease him back on the bed’s thick comforter, “Easy now,” she urged, “you need to take it slow for a little bit longer especially after the little number our Holly put on you.”

“What did she do to me?” Chris groaned thinking back to his brief encounter with Holly.

“Let’s just say you’re lucky that this was all she did,” Lula paused watching his grimace tighten a bit with pain, “Holly has a bit of a temper. I should probably warn you she’s not one to get worked up.”

“Gee, thanks for the warning, but I think it’s a little too late,” Chris groaned again, “what the hell is her problem?”

“That’s what I was going to ask you,” Lula confessed bringing the cloth to his forehead again as Chris’s hand clamped over her wrist pushing her away. She raised the damp cloth showing it to him before offering it out to him, “I just thought that might help with that bump on the back of your head.”

“Bump,” Chris repeated accepting the cloth as he slowly sat up once more, “damn it, she hit me, didn’t she?”

“So I’ve been told,” Lula nodded as she noted the anger flash behind Chris Ramsey’s eyes, “she does have a tendency to overreact at times.”

“Overreact,” Chris grunted kicking his legs off the bed as everything came back to him, “where is she?”

“I don’t think you going after her is a good idea right now,” Lula objected watching Chris pull himself up off the bed.

“I’m not going to just let her hit me then walk away,” Chris winced feeling an ache rush through him as he turned to look at Lula now more determined than before, “where the hell is she?”

“She doesn’t want to see you,” Lula explained getting off the bed, “she doesn’t even want you here.”

“Too damn bad,” Chris snapped regaining his composure for a moment or two before stomping off towards the door, “if you won’t help me, then I’ll find her myself. She can’t be too far from here.”

“Dr. Ramsey, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lula began watching him march out into the hallway as she let out a sigh realizing that perhaps him waking up hadn’t been as good as she’d hoped it would be seeing as she was still without answers about the good doctor, though she’d be in plenty of trouble if he made his way to Holly one more, “I need this like a need a hole in my head,” she groaned chasing after Chris hoping to talk some sense into him before he met up with Holly once again.

“Seth I’m going to need a full report on those numbers ASAP,” Holly instructed as she leaned back in the black leather chair taking a puff of her cigarette, “I don’t care how many firewalls you have to get through, get me those numbers now.”

“Gee and here I thought you might be in a good mood once your boy toy was here,” Seth remarked offhandedly as he began to click away at his keyboard again.

“What did you just say?” Holly sneered at him blowing out a soft cloud of smoke as she lowered her cigarette.

“I figured that once you have some down time with that guy you had me bring here, that you might just be in a better mood,” Seth remarked with a tiny chuckle, “seeing as you took him to heaven and all before you knocked him on his butt there.”

“Look, that’s none of your business,” she snapped back at him, “I pay you to be on top of the information I’m looking for, not to add your own personal commentary on my relationships, got it?”

“So you have a relationship with this guy now, huh?” Seth raised a curious brow as he looked over his shoulder at her.

“I never said that,” she shook her head trying to ease back a bit into her chair as she took another puff of her cigarette.

“You didn’t have to,” Seth teased further, “watching you take him down like that said it all, not to mention that photo he has of the two of you. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.”

“What picture?” she frowned as Seth withdrew the photo from his jacket pocket.

“This one,” Seth handed it to her, “the man carries it with him close to his heart like it means everything to him.”

“How pathetic,” she rolled her eyes taking another hit off of her cigarette as she eyed the photo intently.

“They look happy, don’t you think?” Seth watched her closely trying to read Holly’s reaction as she scanned the photo.

“Pitiful is more like it. Trust me if Chris and I had known each other we wouldn‘t be playing Ozzy and Harriet drinking martinis and talking about the country club while we pondered our happily ever after in the world of martini land,” she flicked an ash on the photograph before tossing it aside, “anyone who would go to the lengths he did in order to find a dead woman is truly in need of a life. They are the epitome of truly pathetic in every sense of the word.”

“And anyone who would drag someone out here to play games with them is in need of intensive therapy,” Chris’ voice interrupted as Holly looked up to the doorway seeing Chris standing there with a glare on his face. He stepped into the room bending down to reach for the photograph as a scowl washed over him.

“Oh don’t tell me you’re having bad feelings about me for that little love pat I gave you,” Holly extended her leg out before him placing her black spiked heeled shoe down on the photograph directly over Eve’s face. She shifted her heel a bit rubbing it into the photo.

Chris turned his eyes upward over her slender leather encased leg as he met her wicked eyes. Feeling an anger burn over him as she continued to squish at Eve’s face in the photograph with her foot, he seized her ankle tightly halting any movement, “I believe that is mine,” he motioned to the photograph.

“And I care because,” she flicked an ash over at him as he lifted her foot shoving it out of the way in an attempt to retrieve the remains of the photo. She let out a hint of laughter as she watched him dusting off the photograph. Carefully she eased her leg against his body as he knelt before her and she rubbed her foot against his body with a laugh, “what’s wrong Chris? Did I make your angel disappear?”

“Get off of me,” Chris shoved her leg away from him as he rose to his feet dusting himself off as he glared at her, “You had no right.”

“Just like you had no right to invade my life,” Holly sneered at him.

“You asked me for my help,” Chris reminded her, “You came to me.”

“You gave me a ride, I didn’t realize it would become a lifelong commitment,” she groaned in response bringing her cigarette to her full crimson lips once more.

“Then why did you bring me here?” Chris challenged, “if you weren’t interested in me or in making me a part of your life, then why the hell am I here?”

“That’s what I’d like to know,” she snapped turning her attention to Seth, “I thought I told you to get rid of him. Why is he still lurking?”

“Holly, you knocked him out,” Seth reminded her once again.

“So what,” she shrugged giving Chris a sideways glance, “couldn’t you just dump him on a street corner or in a dumpster or something? Just because I hit him doesn’t mean he is now ultimately my responsibility.”

“Speaking of you hitting me,” Chris tucked his photograph into his pocket once more before glaring at Holly, “I owe you for that.”

“Don’t worry that one was free of charge,” Holly remarked with an icy smile, “who knows your patients might even enjoy your new bedside manner after I knocked some sense into you.”

“My bedside manner is just fine, though yours leaves much to be desired,” Chris glared at her, “you have some serious issues.”

“Issues?” she laughed back in mild amusement, “and what might they be Chris?”

“If I had a few hours I’d tell you exactly what your problem is, but seeing as you are how you are the way you are, I wouldn’t waste my time.”

“Oh no please. Enlighten me. Take your best shot Chris,” she challenged waving her hand in invitation to him, “that is if you’re man enough to take me on.”

“Oh I’m plenty man enough,” Chris insisted seeing the fleck of gold behind her brown eyes.

“Then step up,” Holly replied rising from her chair as she stepped in closer to Chris, “take your best shot. We’ll see how good you are with the pot shots when I’m in your face.”

“I have no problem saying what I think of you to your face,” Chris eyed her as his gaze shifted over the zipper up over the front of her black body suit. While he’d intended to give her a piece of his mind, something about the leather outfit and his fantasies of Eve Lambert had distracted him a bit as she raised the cigarette to her lips once more taking another puff.

“Hit me with all you’ve got,” she challenged moving in just before him as she blew smoke into his face, “I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

“Holly, now that’s enough,” Lula hushed her as she rushed into the room stepping in between them, “you already hit the poor guy, now just let up on him.”

“I want him out of here,” Holly snapped at Chris before turning around to go back to her chair.

“Just show me the door and I’m out of here,” Chris hissed back at her as Lula placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Chris, why don’t you just come with me into the other room and cool down a bit?”

“Nah,” Chris thought it over for a moment, “actually now that I’m here, I’m curious,” he stepped in closer towards Seth and his computer noting the different photos and documents up on the screen, “what are you working on here Seth? Must be important if Holly has you working on it nonstop. Trying to find a new identity for her here?”

“That’s none of your business,” Holly snapped at him.

“No?” Chris raised a brow, “well in that case, let me just get a look here.”

“I mean it,” Holly stepped towards Chris reaching out to take his arm, “you have no business here.”

“You brought me here, so you may as well tell me what it is you want from me,” Chris dared her as they faced one another down, “obviously you had some plan in mind for me, so either you start talking or when I make my way out of this place, I’ll have nothing but a mind to call that husband of yours who is so desperate to find you. I’m sure he’d be more than thrilled to know just where you’ve been hiding seeing as the ongoing murder investigation has taken precedence over the media lately.”

“Don’t push me Chris,” Holly warned sharply.

“From where I’m standing I think I have plenty of room to push you,” Chris remarked glaring at her, “it seems I’m the one with all the cards.”

“And we could finish that in a matter of seconds when I shoot you,” she warned him.

“You won’t shoot me,” Chris smiled at her, “after all I think you like me.”

“You’re dreaming,” she rolled her eyes, “not even close.”

“Fine, then I’ll just be going,” Chris turned towards the door.

“Fine, then go,” Holly stomped over to her chair taking a seat again as she reached for her pack of cigarettes pulling another one out from within the container.

“Fine I will,” he decided leaving the room as Lula looked to Holly in surprise.

“Holly, what are you doing?”

“Let him leave,” Holly waved her hand dismissively, “to hell with him anyways.”

“You can’t just let him walk out of here,” Lula reminded her.

“Of course I can. Let him leave. If he thinks he can find his way back to his home, then let him try,” Holly shrugged turning her attention to Seth, “how are those numbers coming?”

“Holly, don’t you think you should try to talk to him? He knows where you’re staying,” Lula pleaded with her, “what if he goes to Roger?”

“He’s bluffing,” Holly insisted giving her friend a brief look, “I know his kind. They are all talk, but no action. He won’t tell anyone anything and even if he did, he’s got nothing to tell.”

“Holly, you brought him here for a reason and if he walks out that door, so does your last chance of getting out of here in one piece,” Lula reminded her, “you can’t hide out here forever.”

“Roger has no idea that I’m here and Chris won’t say anything. I can finish what I started and we’ll be ready soon enough,” Holly argued with her.

“Not with a loose cannon like Chris Ramsey running around,” Lula reminded her sharply, “I read those files you had on him. I know what that man is all about and he’s not to be trusted. If you just let him walk out of here without so much as an apology from you, you can kiss your freedom and hope for a future goodbye.”

“He won’t turn me in. He doesn’t have a thing on me. He doesn’t even know the first damn thing about me,” Holly argued with her.

“Even more reason for you to go after him,” Lula pointed out with a frown, “you don’t know the first thing about him, but from what I gather you’ve just made enemies with a potentially dangerous man and you don’t want that Holly. You can’t afford that right now.”

Chris made his way down the long corridor Seth had taken him through earlier in the evening and now as he thought of his interaction with Holly, Melissa’s words circled in his head. She had been right all along about this woman and yet he’d allowed his passion and hope for a reunion with Eve take over his good senses. He’d been so desperate to find her again, so eager to find his way back to the woman who’d meant more to him than life itself, yet all he found was a foul mouth, ill tempered, indignant woman who was bent on giving him a hard time. Sure she looked like Eve, he’d credit her that. In some ways she even talked like Eve, but Eve Lambert would never ever have crossed the line that Holly Masters had crossed with him tonight. That thought of her behavior around him alone was enough to give him reason to leave. He didn’t need her abuse, didn’t want to be wrapped up in whatever it was she was into seeing as she wasn’t Eve. Hell, if she wasn’t Eve, he didn’t care.

“To hell with her anyways,” Chris remarked making his way to the front exit when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him and Holly’s voice calling out to him.

“Chris, wait,” Holly began in a desperate tone as Chris reached for the front door ready to walk out and leave this sham of hers behind him. He reached for the knob turning it as something in her tone caught her off guard, “Ramsey, please don’t go. Don’t leave yet.”

Chris stopped in his tracks noting the desperation in her tone as he turned around to face her finding her standing behind him looking a bit less rough than she had moments earlier in Seth’s area. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he eyed her intently, “What?”

“Look, I know you and I got off to a rough start,” she began taking in a breath as she seemed to struggle with her words, “but don’t go.”

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you,” he reached for the door again.

“I said don’t go,” she repeated rubbing her palms together in a fit of nervousness it seemed, though Chris couldn’t quite tell, “I know you and I didn’t exactly get off to a good start and I haven’t exactly been forthcoming with you, but well I brought you here tonight because I need you here.”

“You need me?” Chris laughed lightly, “now that’s a good one. Seeing as you were ready to take me on back there, not to mention what you did to my head after trying to jump me.”

“Look, I’m not good at asking for help,” she frowned in response to him, “but I’m asking you now to stay here and help me. I wouldn’t be doing this unless I absolutely needed you.”

“So you admit that you need me?” Chris mused with a thingyy expression, “and so it begins we finally get to the truth.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Holly shot him a glare, “I don’t need you like that.”

“No?” his grin widened, “then what was your display about in the bedroom?”

“Delirium setting in,” she groaned in response biting her tongue once more, “look I brought you here because you helped me the other night and you just seemed like the kind of guy who could continue to help me.”

“You got all of that out of a car ride?” he eyed her closely.

“Well, not in so many words,” she admitted with a sigh, “but there was something about you, something in your eyes,” she shook her head, “never mind. This is stupid.”

“No, go on,” he coached her, “I’m enjoying this.”

“Chris, it’s just,” Holly turned to him again stepping in closer to him, “well I’ve never met someone that I just connected with like I did with you the other night. It was like there you were when I needed you and we just clicked on so many levels,” she explained tracing her fingers over the lapel of his jacket in a slow, leisurely fashion, “I mean here I am a woman on the run and you, well you’re just this guy who’s nice enough to get me out of a bad situation, who takes care of me, treats me with some respect,” her fingers tapered in beneath his jacket as she glanced up at him offering up a flirty smile.

“So you thought maybe I was what you were looking for?” Chris inquired his arm wrapping around her waist as she leaned in closer to him tipping up towards him.

“Something along those lines,” she nodded in response as his arms pressed over her slender form, “and then when I got you here, I couldn’t help but let my inner more primal side take over,” her lips grazed his gently as she held herself just a breath away from him, “I mean here you were all warm and inviting.”

“So you thought you’d just go with the flow and see how far I’d extend the invitation?” Chris mused with a half smile nipping at her lower lip teasingly as a soft purr erupted from deep within her.

“Then you felt my desire for you,” she questioned her fingers making their way up into his hair as he held her, “you know how I craved you.”

“I believe you’re a woman of a great many appetites,” Chris offered squeezing her closer to him, “a great many cravings if you will.”

“Was it that obvious?” she questioned in a soft whisper, her lips easing against his slowly in a soft, tender kiss.

“Actually,” he began pulling back just as her lips touched his as a twisted smirk washed over his features and he released her, “you weren’t nearly as obvious as you are right now. Cut the games Holly.”

“What games, Chris?” she questioned reaching out to him again, “can’t you see how much I want you?”

“I can see you want something out of me, but it damn sure isn’t to sleep with me,” Chris glared at her, “you know I can’t even believe that for one second I could even fathom the idea that you were her.”

“Gee, and to think I was starting to believe we were getting somewhere,” Holly groaned in response reaching within her pocket to pull out another cigarette. She lit it all the while shaking her head, “you know you could’ve gotten laid easily here if you’d just played your cards right.”

“And you aren’t that lucky,” Chris answered watching her puff away at her cigarette before shaking his head disapprovingly, “you shouldn’t smoke.”

“Yeah, well you should mind your own business, but it seems you can’t handle that either, so we’re oh for two,” she brought the cigarette up to her lips again as attempting to take a puff as he drew it from her lips.

“We’ll have no more of this,” Chris snapped back at her extinguishing the cigarette on the ground as she glared at him.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she cut back sharply, “my father?”

“I’m someone who has some very serious plans for you,” Chris answered as he eyed her closely, “Granted your personality leaves much to be desired, and your feeble attempts at seduction aren’t cutting it, but you show some potential here.”

“Gee, would you like me better if I called myself Eve and I told you to take a hike?” Holly flashed him a smile.

“I don’t know Holly, would you like me to call myself Ian and tell you how great Lucy Coe is?” he challenged as her smile faded and she took a step back.

“Forget you,” Holly snapped back at him as she turned towards the direction she’d come from, “I don’t need this from you.”

“Hey hold on,” Chris chased after her reaching out to her arm, “wait a minute.”

“Let go of me,” Holly snapped her angry eyes upon him as he squeezed her arm again, “hey.”

“That’s twice you did that,” Chris reminded her, “twice I’ve mentioned Ian and Lucy and twice you’ve run from me. What gives?”

“I just don’t want to listen to your or your pathetic tales of the angelic Eve Lambert?” Holly shot back at him, “granted I know you were determined to find her, but guess what you didn’t, so you need to just move on and accept the truth that she’s gone.”

“Maybe,” Chris released her once again, “maybe that’s true, but she doesn’t have to be gone.”

“If you say so Chris. You just go on believing whatever it is you want to believe and enjoy your miserable pathetic life,” she shook her head at him, “you know whatever it is that Eve woman had on you, I have to admit she did one heck of a number on you.”

“She was very special to me,” Chris explained after a moment’s hesitation, “she gave me something very special and after I saw you the other night, it made me realize something.”

“That you’d be better off not chasing ghosts?” Holly suggested reaching into her pocket again, “damn you that was my last cigarette.”

“Well then we’re in luck because that’s the last one you’re going to need,” Chris smiled at her, “I can’t believe I didn’t think about this before, but now watching you, seeing you standing there, it’s perfect.”

“What’s perfect?” she questioned cautiously as he circled around her inspecting her closely.

“You are,” Chris answered with a grin much like the cat that ate the canary.

“Flattery will get you no where Chris,” she warned as he circled around her sizing her up.

“A few adjustments here and there and we might be on to something,” he mused with a smile, “and here I thought coming here was a lost cause.”

“Chris, I don’t know what you’re planning, but whatever you think it is, I’m the one calling all the shots here,” Holly informed him bluntly, “you’re only alive right now because I need your help. After I’m done with you, then you are out of my life. I don’t want to see or hear from you again.”

“The way I see it Holly,” Chris stopped standing right before her, “I’m the one calling all the shots and you’re the one in need of my help. While you haven’t been exactly forthcoming with me, from what I gather from my research, and believe me I did to my homework, is that you are looking for a way out of this place. You’re looking to hide away from Roger, for reasons that I still haven’t quite figured out, reasons that I may never figure out, but the fact is that you’re desperate, as you so clearly told me earlier and in being a desperate woman it causes you to do desperate things.”

“Your point?”

“My point is you brought me here for some definite purpose or else we wouldn't have gone through that little seduction ploy of yours. You want something and you want it from me. You want it bad enough that you were going to lead me to believe that you were Eve Lambert if it meant getting the help you felt you needed out of me.”

“Chris, you don’t know the first thing about me, nor do you have a clue what you're talking about. I told you once and I’ll tell you again that I’m the one....”

“..in control,” Chris finished with a nod, “yes I know Holly, but we’ve already established that you lost your control a long time ago and in turning to me, you’ve given me the ultimate power in this situation and I intend to use it to my full advantage.”

“Listen here you,” Holly warned hands on her hips as she stood tall before him.

“No you listen,” Chris cut her off sharply, “you need my help and I’ll gladly give it to you, but first you’re going to do me a favor. You’re going to do what I require of you before I give you what you need.”

“And just what is it you think you’re going to have me help you do,” Holly questioned sharply, “not that I intend upon helping you at all to begin with.”

“Oh you will or Roger dear will hear all about this place and all about you. He’ll know every little detail about your little hideout here and I won’t stop there. I’ll tell him moment by moment play by play about how you tried to seduce me over and over again,” Chris paused noting her silence as her eyes narrowed in on him angrily, “from what I gather you need a new safe haven and I can provide you that for a price.”

“What do you want?” Holly questioned tightly.

“I want you to come with me back to Port Charles,” Chris decided with an air of confidence.  
“What?” she blinked back at him, “I can’t go to Port Charles with you.”

“What other alternative do you have? You’re going to stay here when half of the law enforcement in Texas is looking for you?”

“It’s not that big of a manhunt for me and besides I’m innocent. I was with you,” Holly reminded him.

“Even so I don’t think many people would buy into that alibi, or even like it for that matter, especially not that husband of yours,” Chris shook his head, “he’s a wicked, wicked man. The things he‘s done.”

“Fine,” she cut him off, “what is it you think you need in Port Charles?”

“Why I need Eve Lambert,” Chris offered up with a smile, “I’d like to take her home and take care of some unfinished business of mine that is long over due.”

“Eve Lambert is dead,” Holly cut back sharply.

“Perhaps, but if I thought she was alive once,” Chris reached out to touch her cheek as a smile washed over his features, “then I’m sure everyone else will see what I saw.”

“I’m not going to pretend to be Eve Lambert,” Holly informed him sharply, “if you think I’m going to pose as your dream girl, you’re insane.”

“You don’t have a choice,” Chris explained, “Seth has a way with his mouth there and while he means well, how long do you think it’s going to be before everyone knows the truth about what’s going on here?”

“Seth didn’t tell you anything about this place,” Holly argued with him.

“Didn’t he?” he challenged raising a curious brow hoping she wouldn’t call his bluff as he looked to her.

“I’m not going to Port Charles for you,” Holly shook her head, “no one is going to believe I’m her.”

“You’d be surprised at how many people would,” Chris confessed with a sigh, “even looking at you now, I can see it in your face. You strike me in some ways as having her spirit,” he noted the surprise behind her eyes before finishing sharply, “that is until you open your mouth.”

“Go to hell. I’m not doing it,” Holly argued, “I know what kind of trouble you got into back in Port Charles because like you said earlier I’ve done my homework.”

“Then you know why I’m returning,” Chris challenged.

“No, that’s the part I don’t get. From what I gathered about you, you were responsible for an outbreak, you tried to kill people with your half brained schemes involving the supernatural and you married a serial killer for the millions she could provide you with, only to have her leave you in the end. Doesn’t sound like much to return to Port Charles for, now does it?”

“Well oddly enough while you’ve touched on a few topics,” Chris shook his head, “there's nothing in your damned computer that would give you any inclination on what it is that I want to go back for.”

“Gee Chris, then enlighten me. What is it you want to go back for?” she rolled her eyes.

“My son,” Chris blurted out, “I’m going back for my son, the son that I wasn’t able to be a father to until I met you.”

“You have a son?” Holly questioned in confusion, “but I thought I read that your wife died before....”

“My wife did die, as did my son’s mother,” Chris answered painfully, “she died that night in the car accident and so did my dreams of being a father that is until you stepped into my life. At the point I came out here I gave up any hope of a relationship with my son Daniel, but when I saw you I knew if I could just find you that I could be able to obtain what had been taken from me. I could finally be the father that I was denied from the start before Eve died.”

“You and Eve had a child together?” Holly repeated in confusion, “a son?”

“That’s right,” Chris nodded as a tiny smile washed over his features, “and when she passed on, I didn’t want to take him from the only family he’d ever known, but now as Lucy Coe and Ian Thornhart raise my child, I realize that I don’t want that kind of life for him. I don’t want him to grow up never knowing about the love I shared with his mother. I don’t want him to think I abandoned him. I won’t do that.”

“So you’d give up everything you have here to return to Port Charles for a son with a woman who never, ever acknowledged your rights as a father?” Holly questioned further.

“Eve and I talked about it the day she passed away,” Chris confessed, “she and Ian were going away with one another to take a trip, to try to work out the marriage if you will, but before she’d left the hospital I’d caught up with her, told her not to go back to her lying, cheating husband. I told her that it was time she was honest with herself and honest with me about Daniel. I told her that I couldn’t pretend anymore and I didn’t want to,” Chris paused for a moment, “she agreed with me that it was time to end the lies and then after she promised me we’d tell the truth, she left me. She died that afternoon.”

“Just like that?” Holly questioned taking in his words.

“Just like that leaving me alone again,” Chris explained struggling to hold it all inside as he thought about Daniel, “but I’m not alone anymore. You’re here and you’re going to help me get my son back.”

“Chris, I don’t know if I can do something like that considering....”

“Consider it the greatest acting job of your life Holly,” Chris urged further, “you go with me to Port Charles, play Eve for a while. We can get Daniel back where he belongs with me and then you and I can ride off into the sunset kissing Port Charles good-bye. I’ll pay you for your services and then you can take the money and start your life somewhere else.”

“Who says that’s what I’m looking for?” Holly challenged.

“Holly, I know what your husband is about. While I don’t know what you’re involved in, I know that easy money and easy access to a new identity is on your agenda and I’m offering that to you. All you have to do is help me get my son back. Once that is done, the world is your oyster. So what do you say? Do you take my offer and do things the easy way to benefit us both or do I walk out this door making my way over to the Masters’ estate telling your husband everything?”

“That’s blackmail and you know it,” Holly snapped at him.

“You were going to do it to me only I beat you to it,” Chris smiled at her sweetly before extending his hand out to her, “so what do you say?”

“I say I hate you Chris Ramsey,” Holly glared at him for a moment before letting out a groan, “I need a cigarette,” she huffed turning back down the hallway as her anger lingered in the air over head.  
Chris smiled watching her retreat as the feel of victory surged through his body. One way or another he’d made a small victory for himself in this battle with Holly and he was determined to win. While he’d hoped she’d been Eve Lambert, regardless of his feelings on the subject at hand, she would become Eve and he would have his son back. This was one war Chris Ramsey was set out to win and Port Charles residents beware because he was back with a vengeance and with his own ‘Eve’ on his side, he was determined to take it all showing those in Port Charles once and for all that Chris Ramsey was an unstoppable force. Whistling a tune, Chris set his plan to action in his mind as he prepared himself for the return of Eve Lambert realizing that for the first time in a long time, things were finally looking up.

 


	5. Chapter 5

  
  
“Holly, you can’t be seriously considering going to Port Charles with that man,” Lula began in confusion as she watched Holly collect her things hurriedly tossing them into the duffle bag she’d carried with her.   
  
“At this point in time, what choice do I have, Lula? You said it yourself that you felt it would be in everyone’s best interest if I left, so I’m doing that.”   
  
“Yes, but Eve Lambert died in an auto accident. Her friends and family saw her die,” Lula pointed out, “there’s no way that you can pull off this rouse with that man.”   
  
“I’ve pulled off worse in my life and I’m sure this will be no trouble,” Holly reminded her sharply, “besides he’s willing to fund this little venture which means I’ll be able to get access to the funds that we need back here. I’m sure you and Seth can keep a low profile among other things while I’m gone with Chris Ramsey.”   
  
“Holly, you can’t just leave especially after what happened between the two of you today,” Lula watched her stuffing her duffle bag further, “Holly, would you listen to me?”   
  
“Lula, I don’t have time. Chris said he wants to move out and we need to get a jump start on things. I help him and he provides me with what I need.”   
  
“What would that be exactly?” Lula inquired with a hint of skepticism, “if you were looking for an out you could’ve found a less public means of doing so and if it was money that you were hoping for you had other options.”   
  
“But none that would be as believable as Chris Ramsey,” Holly sighed turning to face her friend, “he can offer me what I can’t get here. He’s a doctor, a man of character, well tarnished character at best, but still he’s shady enough to cover his back and mine.”   
  
“Holly, you just met the man. How can you be sure?”   
  
“What choices do I have here Lula? If I stay here it compromises everything we’ve worked so hard for over the last few months,” Holly sighed, “you know Roger isn’t going to give up his hunt for me and with the authorities thinking that I had something to do with Erin’s murder...”   
  
“Holly, all I’m saying is that you shouldn’t fly the coop with this man considering the history you have with him,” Lula pointed out.   
  
“We don’t have history Lula. I already told you that I’m not Eve Lambert. You said it yourself that she died in a car accident in front of her friends and family and from what you clearly see here I’m alive and kicking,” Holly hoisted the bag over her shoulder, “and I intend to stay that way.”   
  
“I realize that, but Holly, why him? Why play into this if you aren’t what he’s looking for? What is it about him that makes you trust him when I know that you don’t trust anyone girl?” Lula frowned slightly, “why lay all your faith in a man you don’t know the first thing about?”   
  
“Because right now I don’t have a choice Lula and that’s the best I can give you,” Holly frowned slightly, “the less you know the better. That way if anything happens you and I won’t have to worry about you being sucked down further into what’s happening in my life.”   
  
“Holly, I just wish....” Lula began again.   
  
“Just trust me,” Holly reached out to her friend, “please. I need that from you. Can you give me that?”   
  
  
“So tell me Seth,” Chris began leaning back in the leather chair the Holly had previously occupied, “how long have you known Holly?”   
  
“How long have you?” Seth questioned curiously.   
  
“I asked you first,” Chris challenged.   
  
“Even so, I’m more curious to hear about your history with her, about that photograph and what it is about you that made her agree to leave town with you.”   
  
“I guess it’s just my irresistible charm,” Chris flashed a confident grin, “women love it.”   
  
“Is that it,” Seth shook his head, “because you know while Holly agreed to leave with you she looked rather perplexed.”   
  
“Well, you know some women hide it better than others,” Chris shrugged, “but hey what can I say, everyone loves me.”   
  
“So what exactly are your plans for Holly in Port Charles?”   
  
“She’s going to do me a favor and I think she’ll do a fine job of it at best.”   
  
“And that favor would be?”   
  
“You never answered me on how long you’ve known Holly,” Chris reminded him once more as he noted Seth’s desire to pick for information.   
  
“As long as she’s been in Texas,” Seth answered.   
  
“And that would be?”   
  
“Since the spring of 2002,” Seth explained, “now you. What is it you have planned for Holly?”   
  
“Spring you say? What month?” Chris questioned curiously.   
  
“I don’t remember,” Seth shook his head, “I just know it was at a party Lula was having. Holly was there and from that moment on she and I...” Seth stopped himself, “now you tell me what’s going on with you and Holly.”   
  
“I’m going to take her home with me to teach a few friends of mine a lesson.”   
  
“Teaching friends a lesson,” Lula’s voice interrupted as she entered the room a curious expression on her face, “that doesn’t sound like very friendly intent if you ask me.”   
  
“Oh I have but the utmost intentions for those in Port Charles I plan on visiting,” Chris offered up with a smile, “trust me anyone I encounter with Holly will be getting what they deserve.”   
  
“But at what price?” Lula challenged, “you don’t know what you’re getting into Dr. Ramsey and with Holly, you might be biting off more than you can chew.”   
  
“Holly might be a little rough around the edges, but once you get used to the taste, it becomes more so a savory morsel,” Chris wiped at his lips, “one that I’ve grown rather accustomed to.”   
  
“I wouldn’t make myself comfortable with her charms Dr. Ramsey because the moment you think you have her figured out, she’ll strike and you won’t realize what’s happening to you,” Lula warned making her way across the room, “a woman like Holly won’t be taken prisoner by any man.”   
  
“I don’t intend to cage her if that’s where you think my intentions lie,” Chris replied simply.   
  
“Oh I don’t see you getting the chance, but at the same time I worry about your broken heart,” Lula offered up with a sigh.   
  
“I think the good doctor will keep his heart in line for a while, at least as long as I’m around to keep him on his toes,” Holly piped in entering the room with a confident grin as she reached out to Chris tracing a line over the center of his chest as she smiled at him sweetly, “isn’t that right, sugar?”   
  
“You know it sweetness,” he answered hooking his arm around her and drawing her close as Lula and Seth exchanged worried glances.  
  
“I’m sure we’ll get along just fine,” Holly forced her smile further as she pinched at his chest lightly.   
  
“Of course we will angel,” Chris replied sarcastically feeling the pain hit him from her fingers as he squeezed her tighter, “it’ll go just fine.”   
  
“I’m sure it will,” Holly pinched him harder before he finally released her with a wince and she turned to Lula and Seth with a victorious smile, “if either one of you need me, you know how to reach me.”   
  
“Holly, are you sure that....” Lula began again.   
  
“Of course I’m sure,” Holly hugged her friend good-bye, “we’ll be okay. That much I’m sure of and if not, well I’ll work on it.”   
  
“Just be safe would you?”   
  
“When aren’t I being safe?” Holly teased as she looked to Seth, “keep me up to date even though I won’t be here.”   
  
“Will do,” Seth nodded in response as he motioned to Chris, “and keep that one in line.”   
  
“Oh I’ll do more than that,” Holly offered up before turning to Chris, “we can go now.”   
  
“Great, then I guess I’ll be seeing you all,” Chris waved at Seth and Lula, “then again probably not, but still it’s been real.”   
  
“And it’s been fun,” Holly remarked dryly, “but it hasn’t been real fun, so let’s just go and get this over with.”   
  
“Watch it Holly or else I might think you’re starting to like me,” Chris remarked thinking about her comment as he flashed back to another time in the Baldwin labs with Eve.   
  
“You aren’t that lucky,” Holly brushed past him making her way down the hallway as he looked to the bags before him.   
  
“Forgetting something?” Chris called out to her as he kicked at her bag.   
  
“Oh you can pick those up for me,” Holly blew him a kiss, “thanks lamb chop.”   
  
“Normally I’d make you do this,“ Chris informed her bluntly, “but since we’re in a bit of a rush...“ he trailed off, “Don’t think I’m doing this for free.”   
  
“I figured that much so to be generous, I promise I won’t deck you for the rest of the day,” she offered with a smile, “how’s that?”   
  
“Let’s just get things clear now,” Chris stepped up beside her glaring at her, “the next time you hit me, I hit back.”   
  
“Oooh,” Holly couldn’t help but laugh in response, “a man who likes to play rough. I find that to be such a turn on,” she gave him a quick once over, “you might prove to be interesting after all Dr. Ramsey. I might actually have some fun here.”   
  
“You’re going to have the time of your life baby,” Chris teased with a wink.   
  
“We’ll just see about that one. You have a long way to go before you color me impressed tiger,” she finished making her way out of the building as Chris watched her head towards his car and he wondered what he was getting himself into.   
  
*****  
  
“Watch your step,” Chris instructed opening the front door to his home as Holly pushed past him into the room, “there’s a bit of a dip there that....”   
  
“I see it,” Holly scanned her surroundings as she reached deep within her pocket withdrawing a cigarette, “this is an interesting place you have Chris,” she noted the papers scattered all over the place before she gave him a look, “don’t care too much for cleanliness huh?”   
  
“I fired the maid last week,” Chris remarked sarcastically as she approached the table he’d left such a mess.   
  
“Apparently she wasn‘t much for your company either, huh,” she thumbed through his articles while taking a puff of her cigarette, “well look at this it’s all about little old me. You were a busy, busy boy, weren‘t you?”   
  
“I guess you could say it was an effort in vain,” he approached her as he pulled the article out of her hand.   
  
“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” she watched him closely, “I think it’s rather cute that you were so determined to believe in your hopes about Eve.”   
  
“I’m sure you do,” Chris withdrew the cigarette from her hand before extinguishing it in the kitchen sink, “we’ll have no more of this.”   
  
“What?” she questioned in confusion, “what’s that all about?”   
  
“Eve doesn’t smoke,” Chris remarked shooting her a glare, “never did and probably never would’ve.”   
  
“You don’t know that,” Holly offered up making her way across the room, “for all you know the stress could’ve given her a new vice or maybe you didn’t know her as well as you would’ve liked to.”   
  
“I knew her better than she knew herself at times,” Chris answered honestly, “at times it was like she was her own worst enemy.”   
  
“I find that hard to believe when she had you as a friend,” Holly shot back with a sarcastic smile as she reached within her pocket for another cigarette, “besides it’s just you and me, so who cares if I smoke?”   
  
“I do,” Chris pulled the new cigarette away from her, “if we’re going to head on back to Port Charles, I need Eve with me and this,” he reached into her pocket pulling out the pack of cigarettes she’d had hidden inside, “this isn’t Eve,” he finished making his way over to the garbage disposal in the sink turning it on and dropping the cigarettes within as they were shredded before Holly’s furious eyes.   
  
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Holly charged at him, “you don’t have any right to do that to my things....”   
  
“I do when you’re working for me,” Chris snapped at her before he set down the nearly empty pack of cigarettes down on the counter top beside him, “and that’s exactly what you’re doing now.”   
  
“I’m doing you a favor,” Holly insisted with a glare when he’d finished munching her smokes, “and don’t think that I’m bound to anything for you.”   
  
“Holly, we both know you need me as much as I need you right now,” Chris pointed out, “without me you don’t have a chance.”   
  
“I did fine on my own before you came into my life,” Holly offered up flatly.   
  
“When was that? Before you appeared on the scene married to Roger Masters?”   
  
“Look you don’t know the first thing about my marriage to Roger.”   
  
“So enlighten me. Why is it you’re hiding from your husband?”   
  
“My soon to be ex-husband,” Holly corrected, “it was over long before it started.”   
  
“That doesn’t seem to be that long from what I’ve read.”   
  
“You think you know it all, don’t you?” Holly questioned watching him.   
  
“I know enough to get a good feel for things,” Chris admitted, “though I'm rather curious about what happened before you and Roger, about where you were before Texas.”   
  
“In the arms of a very sexy, passionate lover who knew how to drive me crazy with just a word, just a touch,” Holly offered up moving in towards him, “he used to know how to make me hot for hours and I liked that about him. It was where I spent a lot of my time, but I’m sure you’d rather just skip over the details of that part of my life before Roger.”   
  
“Oh no please go on if you feel compelled to do so,” Chris waved at her, “I don’t mind listening.”   
  
“I’m sure you don’t,” Holly searched his eyes, “in fact I’m fairly certain a man like you would just love me to go into details about my personal life, about my encounters with the men in my life, about the limits of my sexuality.”   
  
“From what I’ve seen there are no limits or scruples where you’re concerned,” Chris dared watching her eyes dark with mischief as she reached out to him, “so tell me why Roger Masters?”   
  
“Why not,” she shrugged tapering her fingers on the counter just behind him as she eyed the cigarette package just within her reach as she offered up a shrug to him.   
  
“Was it the money, the power?” Chris reached out to her placing his hands on her hips as he spun her around pressing her back into the counter while his body pinned her in place. His eyes lit up with danger causing her to gasp as he held her close to him, “I’ll bet you get off on a man with money, and power don’t you, Holly?”   
  
“You’d like to think so, wouldn’t you, Chris?” she questioned feeling the heat of his breath over her as she locked gazes with him, “you’d like to believe that all of your wealth and your illusion of control here was enough to make me hot for you.”   
  
“Is that what you think I’m looking for?” Chris questioned lazily as his fingers tapered up over her curves learning her lines before he touched her hair, “to make you hot for me?”   
  
“Isn’t that how the game is played?” Holly shifted beneath him teasing him with her soft form as his hardened body hugged up against hers pressing her deeper against the kitchen countertop.   
  
“You tell me,” Chris replied unbending in his position over her as her fingers pressed over the buttons on his shirt making their way ever so slowly down his body to the center of his chest.   
  
“I know you want me Chris,” she leaned in closer to him whispering into his neck, “I can feel your desire, smell it on you right now,” her fingers boldly sought out the buttons on his shirt tinkering with them just a bit, “you want me so bad that you can’t even think straight, isn’t that right?”   
  
“Tell me Holly, who’s trying to seduce whom here?” Chris questioned as he felt her hand slip into his shirt seeking out the warm contours of his chest with a hint of mischief behind her eyes.   
  
“I’m only giving you what you want from this partnership,” she offered up bringing her lips in closer to his as the warmth of his breath enticed her, drawing her into a delicious whirlpool of desire as their breaths intermingled.   
  
“What I want,” Chris repeated feeling her fingers gently caress his body through his shirt as her lips brushed against his in slow, teasing kisses.   
  
“That’s right Chris,” Holly coaxed him further her fingers working to slip within the opening of his shirt pulling it apart further to get better access to him, “to give you your fantasy.”   
  
“My fantasy,” Chris shoved her back into the counter once more as his fingers slipped into the back of her hair tugging on it slightly as her head jerked back with the motion causing their eyes to meet again as he seized her mouth in a hungry kiss, his tongue delving deep into the sweet, warmth of her mouth, testing her responsiveness before he drew back biting on her lip before pulling his mouth away from hers. A long moment of silence passed as he stared her down. Finally as the silence nearly suffocated the both of them clouding the air surrounding them deep from within, he reached for the nearly empty pack of cigarettes before releasing her, “does not consist of you trying to screw my brains out over a pack of cigarettes.”   
  
He shook his head disapprovingly as he walked away from her, “I realize you’re an addict and all, but I told you before and I’ll tell you again, you aren’t smoking from this moment on.”   
  
“Screw you Chris,” Holly stood up straighter before glaring at him, “I’ll smoke if I want to and you won‘t tell me otherwise.”   
  
“Like hell you will,” Chris snapped at her as he pulled his shirt together again, “you’ll do what I tell you to do when I tell you to do it. You’re going to play this game by my rules, not yours.”   
  
“I’m doing you a favor Chris,” Holly reminded him sharply, “that doesn’t mean you own me.”   
  
“Given what I know about the position you’re in I’d have to say that it’s pretty damn close to my owning you for a while,” Chris snapped at her overwhelmed yet again by her toying with him.   
  
“I’d rather die first,” Holly hissed in response.   
  
“Keep this crap up and I’ll see to it you’ll get your wish,” Chris warned her with a glare.   
  
“Bite me,” Holly pushed past him not bothering to look back as she stomped down the hallway.   
  
“Where do you think you’re going?” Chris questioned his eyes following her on her retreat.   
  
“Away from you,” She answered with a huff as Chris heard the sound of the bedroom door slamming and a soft chuckle washed over him at the knowledge that he was having fun putting Holly in her place.   
  
While she’d tried to take control of the situation with her attempts to seduce him, Chris had prevailed and set her back yet again. She was going to learn that he wasn’t going to bend on her every whim and impulse when she was struggling to get her way, yet as Chris thought back to the way she’d kissed him, the way she’d touched him, he had to wonder if this game was going to be as easy as he’d anticipated.   
  
  
Stomping into the center of the room Holly took in her surroundings. This place was clearly oozing with Chris Ramsey and while she’d agreed to take on his challenge, she hadn’t realized he’d be so damned impossible. He was driving her mad and the more he continued to dictate her behavior, the more she wanted to strangle him. How dare he tell her she can’t smoke! For all he knew Eve could’ve been a very avid chain smoker, heaven knows Holly wouldn’t have had any qualms in engaging in any vice after the treatment Eve Lambert had gone through during the last months of her life. The research Holly had picked up was enough to make any woman insane after she’d heard the tales of Eve’s louse of a husband and yet in knowing what kind of life Eve had, Holly had still agreed to play into it. She’d agreed to go with Chris to confront the very people that had sucked the life out of Eve Lambert, but why? Why did she care about Chris and his son? Or about hurting those who hurt Eve? It was all a whirlpool of questions to Holly as she reached into her duffle bag pulling out another pack of cigarettes and tearing it open.   
  
“You can handle this,” Holly instructed herself taking in a breath as she withdrew another cigarette from the package and brought it up to her lips. She reached for her lighter ready to light it when the bedroom door burst open and Chris stepped inside, “Oh bloody hell, don’t I get any privacy around here?”   
  
“Look Holly about before,” Chris started noting the lighter in her hand, “what is that?”   
  
“What?” she questioned placing the lighter beneath her on the bed as she smiled up at him.   
  
“That?” he stepped in closer, “Holly, what are you doing?”   
  
“It’s none of your business,” she answered sharply, “now I didn’t invite you in my room, so get out.”   
  
“It’s my house,” Chris reminded her as he reached out to her, “what do you have there?”   
  
“It’s nothing,” she replied as he shoved her aside noting the pack of cigarettes beneath her.   
  
“Holly, I already told you that you’re not smoking anymore,” Chris tugged at the package as she reached for it pulling it back.   
  
“Chris, you can’t take these away from me,” Holly argued with him placing her hand over his, “you can’t expect me to give up everything that I am in a blink of an eye.”   
  
“Everything you are?” Chris repeated in confusion, “Holly, are you telling me that you’re all about a pack of cigarettes? That you’re so much of an addict that you can’t let go of these?”   
  
“There’s nothing wrong with being an addict. It’s not like it’s something for you to worry about,” she argued with him as he released the pack.   
  
“Fine, then smoke yourself to death, but you’ll be of no use to me when we get to Port Charles if you do that,” Chris explained crossing his arms in front of his chest, “I’d thought you’d had more control than that, but apparently I was wrong if you’re allowing yourself to be possessed by those things.”   
  
“I’m not possessed by these,” she tucked the pack away in her bag, “it’s just something I need every now and then.”   
  
“Well Holly, quite frankly I don’t really care what you need,” Chris remarked dryly.   
  
“Of course not because it’s all about what you need,” Holly rolled her eyes, “it’s all about what Chris Ramsey wants and needs and the rest of the world be damned.”   
  
“There you’re wrong,” Chris shook his head, “while the universe used to revolve around me, it’s not about me any longer. It’s about my son and if that means that I have to get on you to see to it that he’s back in my life again, then I’ll damn well do it. He’s worth whatever means it takes to get him back to me. That‘s what this all amounts to.”   
  
“Chris,” Holly began noting the expression behind his eyes and the sincerity in his tone before she reached within her duffle bag for the cigarettes handing them over to him with a sigh, “at least tell me that Eve Lambert had a decent sense of fashion to work with.”   
  
“She was a knock out,” Chris replied accepting the pack of cigarettes as he felt they’d crossed over a milestone in this moment, “she was an incredible woman and with a little homework, we can get you to where she was.”   
  
“And how long do you anticipate that taking?” Holly questioned curiously.   
  
“Not too long because our flight leaves for Port Charles in the morning,” Chris informed her honestly.   
  
“The morning? Why so soon?”   
  
“We didn’t have time on our side from the hunt for you it seems,” Chris reminded her, “and beyond that, well let’s just say I have something I’d like to be back home in time for.”   
  
“What might that be?” Holly inquired curiously.   
  
“Know how to dance?” Chris questioned with a smooth grin.   
  
“Of course I know how to dance. Why?”   
  
“Because Holly my dear we’re going to a party,” Chris smiled proudly as a tiny laugh bubbled over her.   
  
“Now that’s something I could get into,” Holly offered up with a smile.   
  
“Good because you’re going to have the night of your life and the role of a lifetime,” Chris explained with a twisted smirk, “with a little bit of homework, you’ll be ready to go.”   
  
“Homework,” she questioned.   
  
“It’s just a little coaching,” Chris nodded, “but you’ll find everything you need to know about Eve Lambert for now in that closet over there.”   
  
“What exactly am I going to find?” she raised a curious brow.   
  
“Everything I took with me from Port Charles. On top of what you know we should be ready for the party tomorrow night,” Chris offered up with a pleased smile, “and it should be quite an explosive entrance we’ll make.”   
  
“I’m sure it will,” Holly nodded.   
  
“So check things out if you can and rest up because you’ll need it for tomorrow,” Chris replied crushing the pack of cigarettes as he moved to the door, “I’ll leave you to brush up on what you need to know.”   
  
“I’ll do that,” Holly offered up as he left her some privacy. Curiously she rose from the bed making her way across the room towards the closet. Opening it up she found a great deal of outfits that seemingly belonged to Eve Lambert. With a curious smile, she let out a tiny laugh, “You’re a strange man Chris Ramsey,” she reached out to one of the dresses hanging up, “but I suppose I could learn to like this,” she finished realizing that the games were now beginning and she was going to enjoy this rouse with Chris Ramsey after all. 


	6. Chapter 6

  
  
Alison Barrington stood at the patio of her cozy apartment reaching out to her fiancé as she noted the perplexed expression washing over his features. Lightly she touched his shoulder hoping to pull him out of his distance as she spoke his name, “Jack, hey you.”   
  
“Ali,” he turned to offer up a smile in her direction.   
  
“You look about a million miles away,” she confessed slinking her arm in his.   
  
“Only a few thousand,” Jack confessed with a sigh.   
  
“Thinking about Chris again?”   
  
“Is it that obvious?” Jack questioned with a half smile.   
  
“Well seeing as you were a nervous wreck after that phone call from Missy the other day and then when Chris called you last night telling you that he was coming in to town again...”   
  
“I just get this feeling,” Jack confessed, “something just seems off with him.”   
  
“You think something is wrong?”   
  
“Well he’d vowed never to return to Port Charles, yet he’s coming back tonight for this party and something about it just seems off.”   
  
“Chris knows what a big deal the Winter ball was and since things were a bit different over the last couple of years, it’s now more important than ever that the cause gets the proper attention it deserves,” Alison pointed out, “I know how important the hospital was to him when he was still here.”   
  
“I know that, but still when I think about the slippery slope he went down after Eve died,” Jack sighed, “I just worry about him.”   
  
“Missy told you that he was moving on. That he’d found a nice place in Texas and you saw that yourself,” Alison pointed out.   
  
“I know that, but at the same time I can’t help but worry about him,” Jack shook his head, “call it the brother in me.”   
  
“Well I’d much rather call it that caring and considerate side of you that I fell in love with so long ago,” Alison hugged him gently.   
  
“So long ago?” Jack repeated with a curious brow, “you make it sound like we’ve been in love forever.”   
  
“Well it seems like my life didn’t begin until you and I found one another,” Alison pointed out with a smile, “you do realize you are my happiness Jack Ramsey.”   
  
“And you’re mine Alison Barrington,” Jack replied leaning in to kiss her gently as he silently thanked the heavens above for the happiness he’d managed to find in his life after all the years of chaos that had controlled his life.  
  
*************  
  
“Darling, we’re running behind,” Lucy Coe called out to her husband, “if you don’t hurry up we’re going to be late for Amanda’s party.”   
  
“I’m moving as fast as I can,” her husband explained as she looked around the living room seeing Christina and Danny’s playtime had taken it’s toll on the living room floor. Bending down she started to scoop up some of the toys before calling out to her husband yet again, “you’re sure that the sitter doesn’t mind keeping an eye on Christina and Danny on such short notice?”   
  
“I told you already,” her husband appeared before her in the doorway his bowtie undone as he made his way out into the foyer of their home, “I have it covered.”   
  
“I know you do,” she stepped in towards him making her way over to adjust his tie, “but it isn’t easy for someone to watch the two of them together. With Danny in his terrible twos there and Christina in her phase, I know it’s a bit of a challenge.”   
  
“You don’t make it seem like one,” he replied with a smile as she began to fix his tie, putting it in place before her hands tapered over the shoulders of his suit, “well how do I look?”   
  
“More handsome than ever,” Lucy confessed leaning up to kiss him tenderly, “you never cease to amaze me on how handsome you are.”   
  
“And you are by far the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid my eyes upon,” he confessed drawing her into his arms once again, “I could just eat you up right now.”   
  
“The sitter is on her way,” Lucy swatted at his chest.   
  
“And that should bother me because?” he raised a curious brow as his thick fingers tapered over the back of her dress easing the zipper down a bit.   
  
“We can’t do this. Christina and Danny could wake up any minute now,” Lucy reminded him again as his hands slipped in the back of her gown.   
  
“If that happens, I’ll just have to explain to them just how much it is that I love their beautiful mother with all of my heart,” his lips traveled over her shoulder moving in to the curve of her neck, “how she’s so irresistible that I can’t seem to get enough of her not in this lifetime anyways.”   
  
“Oh flattery will get you everywhere,” Lucy moaned against his kisses, “but you should stop.”   
  
“I can’t stop where you’re concerned as you’re far too irresistible Mrs. Thornhart,” Ian blurted out claiming her mouth in a hungry, desperate kiss as Lucy wrapped her arms around him tighter.   
  
“Even so Ian,” Lucy reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, “I promised Amanda that we would be there early to get things started for tonight.”   
  
“To hell with Amanda,” Ian grumbled, “I have everything I’ve ever wanted and needed right here in my arms and I’d like to keep it that way.”   
  
“Tonight my love,” Lucy kissed him once more as the doorbell rang again, “you can take all the time in the world showing me how much you love me over and over again tonight.”   
  
“That’s something I’m going to hold you to Mrs. Thornhart,” Ian replied watching his beautiful wife make her way to the front door as he realized that his life was finally perfect at last. He had it all and nothing would ever take that away from him again.   
  
****************  
  
“Knock, knock,” Karen began tapping on the bathroom door once again as she noted the time, “we’re running behind.”   
  
“I’m taking my own sweet time if you don’t mind,” Kevin’s voice explained through the doorway as she finally opened the door seeing him standing before the sink playing with his tie.   
  
“Let me do that,” Karen offered making her way into the bathroom and seating herself on the center of the counter before waving her finger at him alerting him to get closer, “come here.”   
  
“Like this?” Kevin raised a curious brow as she tugged on both ends of his tie.   
  
“Exactly like this,” she insisted drawing him closer to her as she looked up at him, “nervous about tonight?”   
  
“Should I be?” Kevin questioned with a soft smile as she tied the soft, navy colored material.   
  
“Not at all,” Karen shook her head in response finishing with the tie, “now don’t you look handsome?”   
  
“But of course,” he couldn’t help but tease back as she tugged him closer still.   
  
“And you’re all mine,” Karen kissed him gently as a tiny laugh bubbled over her features.   
  
“What’s so funny?” he questioned his arms around her as he lifted her up off of the counter.   
  
“I was just thinking about how much I dread this thing tonight,” Karen confessed, “don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t appreciate and support the cause, but the idea of spending the night with Amanda Barrington and everyone else in Port Charles just seems so I don’t know, so boring in comparison to having a night in your arms.”   
  
“Hmm, well I have been told these arms are considered therapy,” Kevin teased further kissing her gently.   
  
“The best therapy in the world,” Karen whispered against his lips, “and after this thing tonight, I intend to find myself lost in them.”   
  
“They’ll be yours all night,” Kevin promised with a soft smile noting a distance behind her eyes, “Karen, what is it?”   
  
“Nothing,” she offered up after a moment noting that inquisitive look behind his eyes, “well it’s just that I’m sure Frank will be there.”   
  
“Forget about Frank,” Kevin urged touching her cheek gently, “Frank is the past.”   
  
“I know that,” Karen nodded, “but it’s times like these that it’s hard for me to go out in the public and be there with everyone watching me especially after those things Frank said and did.”   
  
“Frank was the one who looked like a fool,” Kevin reminded her, “not you. You didn’t do anything wrong and besides,” he offered with a smile, “if people are staring it isn’t because of what Frank said. It’s because they see I have a beautiful, intelligent, amazing woman on my arm and they’re all green with envy.”   
  
Karen cracked a smile, “How is it you know how to do that so well?”   
  
“Do what?” Kevin questioned innocently.   
  
“Use flattery to your full benefit?”   
  
“That wasn’t flattery,” Kevin explained, “it was nothing but the truth.”   
  
“The truth huh?” Karen eyed him intently, “is that really how you see me?”   
  
“You’d be amazed at the great many ways I see you Karen.”   
  
“So I’m learning,” Karen confessed, “but I must tell you this is all new to me in so many ways.”   
  
“How so?”   
  
“Being cared about in a genuine way,” Karen explained, “not that I haven’t been in love before, but this time....”   
  
“It’s just what’s right for the both of us,” Kevin finished giving her a kiss, “what do you say we try to focus on that and how the sooner we make an appearance at Amanda’s gala, the sooner we can come back home and perhaps snuggle up with a good movie, some popcorn and each other?”   
  
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Karen warned him as he lowered her to the ground once again.   
  
“It’s a deal,” Kevin replied taking one last look in the mirror as he thought of how his life had changed over the years. Perhaps time really did have a way of catching up to people and showing them the light after all.   
  
******************************  
  
“Look and there is Amanda over there,” Lucy pointed out the host of the party as she nudged her husband slightly, “should we go over and say hello?”   
  
“I know that I don’t really have a say on that matter,” Ian teased with a tiny laugh as Lucy lead him through the crowd that had gathered.   
  
“Ian, Ian there you are,” a voice called out to him as Ian turned to see Frank approaching him, “Ian can I have a word with you?”   
  
“I didn’t realize he’d be here,” Lucy frowned slightly watching Frank make his way through the crowd.   
  
“I’ll take care of this,” Ian promised his wife giving her a quick kiss before he turned his attention to Frank, “Francis, what can I do for you?”   
  
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all week, but you weren’t taking any of my calls,” Frank explained.   
  
“I’ve been busy as has Lucy and the last thing she needs is you bothering her.”   
  
“I’m not bothering her. I just wanted to take a moment to visit Christina.”   
  
“Frank, I already told you that right now wasn’t a good time for us. You are still undergoing therapy and while I respect your desire to see your daughter, you need to think of Lucy’s needs. She is trying her best with Christina and the last thing that poor little girl needs is you disrupting her life even further.”   
  
“But Ian you promised me if I helped you that....” Frank began.   
  
“Look I’ll see what I can do,” Ian reached for a champagne off of one of the trays as a server passed by and he handed it to Frank, “but for now why not sit back and relax? Enjoy your evening and we’ll talk later.”   
  
“But...” Frank started once more.   
  
“Good night Frank,” Ian waved before making his way through the crowd to rejoin his wife.   
  
“There you are,” Lucy smiled as she felt Ian’s arms around her, “I was wondering where Frank had taken you to.”   
  
“Not far,” Ian kissed her neck gently, “it’s never far.”   
  
“I hope not,” Lucy leaned into his touch as Kevin and Karen entered the room arm in arm. Immediately Lucy stiffened in Ian’s arms as Kevin’s eyes connected with hers.   
  
“Don’t worry about him,” Ian whispered hoping his wife would relax as he held her.   
  
“Just look at them together,” Lucy frowned, “What is Doc thinking?”   
  
“He’s not,” Ian turned her in his arms, “but that isn’t your problem anymore, remember?”   
  
“I know, but still, I worry about him,” Lucy confessed.   
  
“It’s only natural that you’d do that, but he’s happy,” Ian kissed her tenderly, “as are we.”   
  
“Of course we are,” Lucy replied her gaze drifting to Kevin and Karen as Amanda’s voice filled the room.   
  
“Excuse me everyone,” Amanda began clearing her throat, “but I’d like to get things started so if you all could find your way to your seats I’d appreciate it.”   
  
“Looks like that’s our cue to sit down,” Alison reached for Jack as they breezed past Lucy and Ian, “Nana looks roaring to go.”   
  
“I realize that, but I’d imagined that Chris would’ve been here by now.”   
  
“Maybe he changed his mind about coming back,” Alison suggested with a frown, “you said it yourself that this would be a hard moment for him.”   
  
“I know that, but still I just wish I’d been more informed about what was happening,” Jack frowned.   
  
“Maybe you should call him,” Alison suggested as a clapping filled the room and she turned her eyes towards Amanda.   
  
“And as I said before generosity comes in all forms. While our latest contributor and I haven’t always seen eye to eye, he did come through for the cause tonight and it is with a great honor that I present to you all tonight’s main contributor Dr. Christopher Ramsey.”  
  
“What?” Jack blinked back as another applause filled the room and Chris stepped out into the stage.   
  
“I didn’t know Chris donated anything,” Alison shook her head in confusion, “I thought you said he just found out about this.”   
  
“He did,” Jack replied skeptically, “he’s up to something.”   
  
“Like what?”   
  
“I don’t know,” Jack stepped forward, “but I’m going to find out.”   
  
“Jack wait, just listen to what he has to say,” Alison urged.   
  
“Thank you everyone,” Chris began with a bright smile, “while I realize you all probably weren’t expecting to see me here tonight, I must say that there is nothing more important than helping those in need which is why I’ve donated to the pediatric wing at the hospital. It’s a cause that not only I believe in, but that of which the special lady in my life supports fully and it’s because of her that I’m here tonight. It’s because of a very special woman who not only turned my life around, but made me believe that miracles could happen. She taught me how to love, how to be the man I’ve become and it is because of her that I stand here before you doing what I can to lend a helping hand.”   
  
“Where is he going with this?” Ian grumbled as he watched Chris up on stage.   
  
“I don’t have a clue,” Lucy shrugged, “Amanda never mentioned he was here.”   
  
“Well I’d thought we’d seen the last of him,” Ian glared over at Chris as he continued talking up on stage.   
  
“Who knows with a man like that?” Lucy shrugged as Chris finished another statement and a round of applause filled the room.   
  
“Thank you everyone,” Chris waved to the audience, “but I must confess that tonight I wouldn’t be here, it wouldn’t be happening if it wasn’t for the heart of a beautiful woman who inspired me to live again and it is with that knowledge in mind that I ask her to come out here, to share in this moment with me as we cut the symbolic ribbon for this new wing of the hospital here tonight. Ladies and gentlemen if you will, I’d like you to put your hands together for a woman who changed my life around, as she’s one hell of a woman. It is with great honor that I present Dr. Eve Lambert.”   
  
A silence filled the room as all eyes fell upon Chris. With those words there was a hush and Jack stepped forward.   
  
“What is he doing?” Alison questioned in confusion.   
  
“I don’t know but I need to stop him,” Jack whispered seeing his brother standing alone on the center of the stage as his heart ached for his obviously delusional brother. There were a few whispers in the crowd as all eyes were on ‘poor’ Chris Ramsey.   
  
Chris stood patiently before speaking into the microphone again, “Eve, would you like to come out here please?” he turned his eyes to the door waiting for a moment as Jack reached the stage stepping up swiftly.   
  
“Chris, come on,” Jack urged touching his brother’s shoulder as a painful expression washed over his features, “Chris, don’t do this.”   
  
“Jack, just hold on a second,” Chris whispered from behind the microphone, “you’ll like this.”   
  
“Chris, this isn’t helping anything,” Jack began as a gasp fell over the crowd and Chris turned towards the doorway revealing a woman in a stunning red gown as she crossed the room making the way up the stairs to the stage.   
  
Jack stood in silence watching the phantom of Eve Lambert move in across the stage knowing each and every person in the room was experiencing the same feelings of confusion as she took her place in beside Chris. She offered up a smile at Jack and waved before stepping in beside Chris, who immediately handed her the microphone.   
  
“Thank you for the introduction Chris,” she began after a moment’s hesitation, “sorry about the delay but I wasn’t paying attention to the time. It’s really an honor to be here after all this time and all I can say is it’s good to be back,” she finished handing Jack the microphone before reaching for Chris. Taking his hand and flashing him a daring smile she spoke up again, “shall we?”   
  
“Oh we shall,” Chris agreed accepting her hand as the time now came to face the music as he they stepped off the stage into the curious crowd and he realized it was time to face the music with those in Port Charles and now more than ever he was ready for it, ready to take the world by storm at last. 


	7. Chapter 7

  
  
“I hope you’re ready for this Ramsey,” Holly smiled with a whisper as the two of them made their way towards the crowd knowing all eyes were upon them.   
  
“I’ve been born ready for this moment,” he slipped his hand over her waist, “I just hope this won’t turn out to be a disappointment for me.”   
  
“Is that lack of faith in me,” she questioned behind the mask of a smile as he kept her close to him.   
  
“I’ll just feel better after I’ve seen you in action. Don’t let me down,” Chris commented his eyes darting to the familiar face bursting through the crowd. Certain that this confrontation was about to happen, he squeezed Holly lightly whispering. “Incoming.”   
  
“Got it covered,” Holly answered turning in the direction of the surprised eyes before her as she and Chris came to a halt. Kevin made his way through the crowd unable to contain his curiosity as he stepped forward.   
  
“Eve,” he called out to her as Holly turned her eyes towards him. She noted the confused expression that had washed over his features as he made his way through the crowd standing before her, “oh god, is it you? Is it really you?”   
  
“In the flesh Kevin,” she answered with a nod as she reached out to embrace him hugging him tightly, “oh God I thought I’d never see you again, Kevin.”   
  
“Eve,” he hugged her in response unable to believe the feel of her in his arms as he squeezed her, “but how? How is it possible? I thought...I mean we all believed that you were...”   
  
“Dead?” she questioned taking the word from his lips as she looked to him, “no not dead. Just unable to find my way back until now.”   
  
“But how? I mean where have you been all this time? Eve, we’ve all been so lost without you and now that you’re here....”   
  
“It’s a long story, Kevin,” she replied pulling back from his embrace as she reached for his hand giving it a squeeze, “but I promise you I’ll tell you everything soon, very soon. What I can tell you however,” she stepped back in beside Chris taking his hand, “is that if it wasn’t for this man right here I never, ever would’ve found my way back to Port Charles. I owe Chris my life.”   
  
“Eve, I wouldn’t go that far,” Chris shrugged as he laced their fingers together.   
  
“Chris, you saved me from that horrible, horrible fate and there’s no need for modesty,” she explained directing her attention to Kevin, “he’s the reason I’m here, that I’m alive and back where I belong.”   
  
“Eve, I, I don’t know what to say...” Kevin started again as Ian pushed his way through the crowd.   
  
“Now that makes two of us Kevin,” Ian’s voice cut through the thick silence filling the ballroom.   
  
“Well, well look what we have here,” Chris remarked dryly, “if it isn’t Mr. and Mrs. Thornhart.”   
  
“Put a sock in it Ramsey,” Ian glared at him, “I don’t know what you’re up to, but when I find out....”   
  
“Save it Ian,” Chris snapped back at him, “Neither Eve nor I are in any mood to hear it tonight.”   
  
“That’s right,” Holly added leaning in closer to Chris with a smooth smile washed over her beautiful features.   
  
“Lambert, is that really you,” Ian blinked back in surprise asking the words that had been on everyone’s mind since Chris’s little surprise was popped on them.   
  
“Does it look like I’m here?” she questioned raising a curious brow before letting out a tiny laugh, “why Ian dear you look as though you’re seeing a ghost.”   
  
“It’s just that I saw you. I felt you when we were at the hospital,” he reached out to touch her his fingers brushing over the warmth of her skin as a gasp fell from his lips, “you’re here. You’re alive.”   
  
“No thanks to you,” she brushed his hand off of her face before noting the woman at his side, “well gee, now why doesn’t this surprise me? Lucy Coe,” she stared her down, “enjoying my husband now a days I hear, huh? So tell me how long did it take you to move into my home, into my role as Danny‘s mother and into my husband‘s,” Holly finished the word with obvious disgust, “bed?”   
  
“Eve, I....” Lucy stammered a bit looking at her, “it wasn’t like that. Ian and I...”   
  
“Save it,” Holly cut her off, “because the truth to the matter is Lucy, I really don’t want to hear it because quite honestly I don’t give a damn about what you have to say on the matter.”   
  
“Eve, I think you and I need to talk,” Ian interrupted as he stepped forward, “a lot has happened since the accident and there are things you need to understand.”   
  
“Oh I understand plenty. From what I gathered you didn’t wait any more than a few months to take on Lucy as your full time lover,” Holly shook her head as she glared at Lucy, “and you, god you are the worst. You did everything in your power to destroy my life with Kevin and for what? Just so that you could move on to my next husband? Well, guess what Lucy, I’ve got news for you about Ian,” Holly leaned in closer to him, “you can have him because I’m through with him.”   
  
“Lambert, I don’t think you realize what you’re saying,” Ian began surprised by the harshness in her tone.   
  
“Oh on the contrary Ian for the first time in my life I know exactly where I’m coming from and I’m not afraid to let you know it,” Holly stood taller as Kevin intervened.   
  
“Maybe you two should talk outside,” Kevin suggested, “obviously there’s a lot you two need to discuss with one another.”   
  
“Kevin, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea,” Chris broke his silence a bit uneasy at the prospect of Holly and Ian spending any time alone with one another.   
  
“Butt out Ramsey. This is between me and my wife,” Ian growled at him.   
  
“Um darling which wife would that be?” Holly shot back sarcastically motioning between her and Lucy, “me or her?”   
  
“Eve, don’t do this,” Ian pleaded with her as he tried to touch her again and she withdrew from his grasp.   
  
“Keep your hands off of me Ian,” she warned harshly, “I mean it if you touch me again, it’ll be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.”   
  
“Lambert, we need to talk.....” Ian began again.   
  
“Indeed we do, but I don’t feel like going out on the patio with you so that you can take the moment to push me over the railing and finish the job you started back when you arranged for me to have my little accident. I’m not that stupid Ian,” she warned harshly.   
  
“What?” Ian blinked back at her, “what are you talking about?”   
  
“Ian I know all about the accident, about the part you played in making it happen and I came back to tell you that you won’t get away with what you did to me you son of a bitch,” she warned him the venom obvious in her tone as she stepped in closer to him, “you might’ve thought you’ve won, but while I may have been down, I’m not out. I’m a long way from it and I won’t be taken down again. Do you understand that Ian?”   
  
“Eve, you have it all wrong. I had nothing to do with the accident. I don’t know where you got this information from, but I love you. I cared about you more than anything in this world and when I’d thought I lost you my life was a mess....”   
  
“Oh please, spare me the sob story or better yet, tell it to someone who believes you, but in the meantime,” she reached into her purse handing him over an envelope, “this is my gift to you.”   
  
“What is this?” Ian questioned in confusion.   
  
“That my dear is a court order appointing me custody of my son from this moment on,” she answered sharply as Chris eyed her closely.   
  
“You can’t take Danny away from me,” Ian argued as he read over the paper, “he’s my son.”   
  
“No Ian he’s not,” Holly shook her head, “Daniel’s father is someone else and once we finish with the DNA tests you’ll have a clear idea on just how far I want you from my son’s life.”   
  
“Eve, you’ve gone mad,” Lucy gasped in horror.   
  
“On the contrary Lucy, for the first time in my life I see things as clearly as I should’ve always seen them,” Holly lifted her head higher as she looked between the two of them, “now you can choose to do this one of two ways. The easy way which involves you handing over my son, or the painful, drawn out way which I must confess is something I might rather anticipate seeing as you’ve done your best to make my life miserable and I’d love to return the favor,” she finished with a smile, “so what will it be?”   
  
“You aren’t taking Daniel away from me especially not to be with him,” Ian ripped up the court order tossing it to the floor as his anger mounted, “this means nothing to me.”   
  
“Fine then Ian,” Holly stood taller facing him down, “you’ve made your choice, but remember you brought it on.”   
  
“Lambert, you aren’t thinking clearly and after you and I have some time to talk...” Ian began again.   
  
“I’ve said all I have to say, Ian,” Holly cut back sharply, “and I’ll be with my son one way or another. Since you want to play rough, well then I‘m sure you won‘t be surprised when Mac Scorpio shows up at your house later to get my son, oh and don‘t think of running Ian because that would be the worst mistake of your life.”   
  
“Eve, Ian is a good father and for you to deny him his rights to his son,” Lucy started.   
  
“Shut up Lucy,” Holly snapped at her, “I think I’ve heard more than enough from you tonight and in listening to you, it only makes me realize the urgency in getting my son out of that house. Heaven knows the last thing I want is for him to be subjected to any of your rambling. I’ve certainly had more than enough of it,” Holly looked to Chris, “come to think of it right now all I want to do is get home and have Danny.”   
  
“We can do that,” Chris nodded in agreement struggling to suppress the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.   
  
“Eve wait,” Kevin began stepping up into the conversation again.   
  
“Kevin, look I know you care about Lucy,” Holly turned towards him again, “but even you can’t tell me that it is wrong for me to want to be with my son, can you?”   
  
“No,” Kevin shook his head feeling the weight of Lucy’s glare upon him, “but I just wanted to make sure that you’ll be around. I’d like us to talk a bit more before you make any plans to leave again.”   
  
“I’ll be at Ramsey’s old place,” Holly offered up with a smile, “we’ll be staying there for a while.”   
  
“That’s right,” Chris added bringing his arm around Holly, “you know where to reach us.”   
  
“This isn’t over Ramsey,” Ian’s voice threatened, “not by a long shot.”   
  
“We didn’t anticipate it would be Ian,” Holly answered sharply, “but then again I always did like a good fight. Let the battle begin,” she finished before taking Chris by the arm and stepping out into the night leaving all to wonder just what was in store for Port Charles now that Eve Lambert was back.   
  
****************  
  
The ride home to Chris’ apartment was filled with silence as Chris watched Holly fidget with the radio a bit before settling down in the passenger seat with a proud smile washing over her beautiful features. Underneath the moonlight, she looked absolutely radiant and even now as he drove home, he was still in awe of her performance at the ball. Once they’d made their way into the apartment, Chris watched as Holly slipped out of her heels making her way across the room towards the bar.   
  
“You’d better be stocked up,” she informed him with a sigh as she pulled a couple bottles out from behind the bar.   
  
“I’ve just got to know,” Chris followed her over to the bar, “how did you do that tonight?”   
  
“Do what?” she looked up at him.   
  
“That court order,” Chris continued in awe of her as she began to mix up a couple martinis as if she was at home behind his bar, “how did you pull that off? I mean the murder accusation was beautiful just like we’d talked about, but the court order...that wasn’t part of the plan.”   
  
“I improvised,” Holly shrugged slightly before handing him a glass, “when you told me about the situation back in Texas, I had a few strings pulled to speed the process up for you.”   
  
“Is that so?” Chris mused unable to suppress his grin any longer as she crossed the room pulling off her earrings and setting them down on the coffee table that was waiting for them. She sat down on the sofa elevating her feet to get relaxed.   
  
“That’s so indeed,” she nodded sipping her martini before patting the leather sofa for him to join her, “you’re impressed aren’t you?”   
  
“Honestly,” Chris took his head beside her, “yes, yes I am. I didn’t imagine you’d pull something like that out of the hat.”   
  
“Well the truth is Chris,” she sighed sipping her drink again, “I have made some very good connections along with the bad ones in being Roger’s wife and it helps that Seth knows a Senator who was more than willing to speed things along...”   
  
“But why?” Chris questioned searching her eyes, “clearly you didn’t have to do this.”   
  
“Of course I did,” She turned to look at him with a smile, “I mean if we’re going to do this, there’s no half way about it. We have to strike full force.”   
  
“Of course,” he nodded in agreement sipping his martini, “but still I mean when I told you I had no idea that you....”   
  
“That I what? That I’d make such an effort?” she shook her head, “you underestimated me Chris. A common error with most men.”   
  
“So this court order is legit?” Chris questioned further.   
  
“As legit as it gets and seeing as Ian tore it up,” she laughed lightly, “oh he’s in for some serious trouble after that one.”   
  
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Chris watched her dark eyes dance with delight.   
  
“More so than I’d imagined I would,” she nodded, “it feels good.”   
  
“It sure does,” Chris agreed keeping his eyes on her as she leaned back further into the sofa sipping her drink once more.   
  
“So Chris, you never told me,” she looked around, “about this apartment. This was yours before?”   
  
He nodded before leaning back, “Yeah I couldn’t quite bring myself to give it up. My brother thought it was foolish to keep paying on the lease and keeping this place like I’d left it because I’d promised myself I’d never return to Port Charles again, but part of me just couldn’t let go. Part of me didn’t want to let go....”   
  
“Because you stayed here with Eve?” she glanced sideways in his direction.   
  
“Yes for a while I did,” he nodded in response looking around, “we shared some incredible memories in this place.”   
  
“Such as?” she raised a curious brow.   
  
“Such as we had a great many martinis here,” he sipped his drink, “much like you and I are doing tonight.”   
  
“Oh well so that’s what this is about,” she half teased, “warming me up into Eve’s position and easing me into things again.”   
  
“It’s not about easing you into things, though I must confess you did one hell of a job earlier with Ian and Lucy. That was absolute brilliance and I know they are still probably trying to make sense of it all.”   
  
“Good let them wonder,” she sat up straighter before setting her drink down. With a slight groan she stood up turning away from Chris.   
  
“Hey, where are you going?” he questioned watching her.   
  
“Nowhere,” she reached for the zipper down the back of her dress before turning towards him to explain, “this thing has been killing me since I put it on. I just thought it might be a good time to unwind,” she explained further unzipping the dress before bending over a bit to ease herself out of it.   
  
Chris watched as Holly began to shed the red satin gown she’d been in at the benefit. Unable to keep himself from turning away, his eyes roamed over her lavish curves as the material of the dress eased over her hips revealing to him the soft silken slip she’d been wearing underneath. It’s frail black texture was tipped off with a hint of lace over the swell of her bosom and Chris couldn’t help but feel his pulse quicken as she’d finally tossed the dress into the chair beside her.   
  
Reaching for her martini once again, Holly eased herself back onto the sofa beside Chris smiling at him, “Much better.”   
  
“Please make yourself at home,” Chris mused with a grin as she sipped her drink once more now more aware of his eyes upon her.   
  
“I think I just might,” she answered in a low, seductive tone as she reached for the olive in her glass swirling it within the remains of her martini before raising it to her full lips. Slowly she circled the tender green olive over her lower lip, savoring the saltiness of it before dipping it back into her martini drenching it all over again before repeating the process at a leisurely pace, “so tell me Chris, is this where magic happened between you and Eve?” she questioned bringing the olive between her lips and taking a bite of it leaving only a single olive left for her martini.   
  
“Magic?” Chris repeated his eyes embracing her with his unspoken desire for her as she swirled the olive in her glass once more.   
  
“That’s right,” she nodded soaking up some of her martini into the olive before drawing it from the liquid tracing a pattern over her lips once again, “is this where you two made love that night? The place where your son came to be?”   
  
“Yes,” Chris breathed a bit uneven as she slid in closer to him a smile crossing over her beautiful features.   
  
“I see,” she watched him intently as a smile pressed over her lips, “and you two were having martinis, just like this?”   
  
“Something along those lines,” Chris offered feeling her fingers press over the front of his shirt.   
  
“You should get comfortable, Chris,” Holly urged as Chris felt her lean over him carefully setting her martini down on the end table next to his side of the couch.   
  
Chris took in a breath as she hovered over his body, the warmth of her curved in just above him, tempting him ever so slightly before she returned settling herself on his lap her legs eased over his thighs in a tentative straddle. She smiled at him before her bottom shifted over his legs and her fingers moved to his tie, loosening the knot.   
  
“Now isn’t this much better,” she questioned discarding the tie as her eyes remained fixed upon him, “doesn’t this feel nicer?”   
  
“Yes as a matter of fact it does,” he offered taking in a breath as her fingers freed loose the buttons on his shirt tugging it open ever so slightly before her finger tips traced over the tiny hairs that crept up from beneath the fabric.   
  
“Good, that’s exactly what I was hoping to hear,” she smiled approvingly as she reached over for her martini once more, “now that’s a good boy,” she swirled the olive in her glass once again before bringing it to her lips drawing out the slow, seductive moment before dropping it into her glass once more. She licked her lips gently before reaching for the olive once again letting it drip for a moment or two before moving it over towards his lips, “want some?”   
  
“I don’t mind if I do,” Chris agreed allowing his arms to curve around her slender form as she traced his lips with the olive.   
  
“It’s good, isn’t it?” she questioned watching him attempt to bite down on the tiny green treasure before pulling it away with a frown, “I didn‘t say you could do that.”   
  
“And I didn’t ask,” Chris whispered in a thick, husky tone as she shifted over him awakening so many memories for him with a simple movement.   
  
“Who started this?” she challenged before setting the martini glass down on the table top once again. She reached out to touch his cheek forcing his gaze upon her before swatting him lightly as if to scold him. After a moment she reached for the martini again drawing out the olive, “now let’s try this again.”   
  
“Fine,” Chris replied allowing her a moment as she traced her lips with the olive once more. Chris felt his breath quicken at the sight of her, his hold on her warm body constricted as he thought back to his time with Eve and more so as the thin strap of her slip fell from her perfect shoulder a sigh escaped his lips.   
  
“Now for being a good boy,” she began bringing the olive over his lips once again tentatively easing it over the sensitive flesh of his lower lip while moving in closer to him, “you’re about to get your reward,” she finished offering up the olive to him.   
  
“It’s about time,” he whispered taking it between his lips before her mouth closed in over his with an urgent desire. His hands moved over her, drawing her closer still as the kiss deepened. Sliding his tongue between her parted lips, Chris relished the notion of holding her while stroking her mouth to ecstasy as a low moan built from deep within her.   
  
Writhing with burning caresses as her hands roamed over his chest tearing his shirt from his body, Holly felt his thick fingers ease under the silken straps of her gown drawing them down her shoulder. She tipped back slightly noting the way his eyes engulfed her pulling her deep into his whirlpool of desire she’d awakened as the material of her satin slip eased over her body. Taking in a slow, shallow breath she kept her eyes on him as the black material slipped down to her waist revealing her warm tingling flesh to him. Alleviating herself of the material, she freed her arms up to reach out to him drawing his hand over her soft velvet peaks offering a hint of the spark he’d ignited in her as their mouths met in another hungry union. Crying out as his hand reshaped the underside of her breast, she parted from the kiss once again.   
  
“What are we doing?” Chris questioned his breath uneven while gazing into her darkened, lust filled eyes. He let out a soft moan feeling her lips capture his with a sudden urgency as she skimmed tantalizingly against his chest tempting him to continue.   
  
“Reliving the magic of the past,” she whispered nibbling on his earlobe as his hands traveled over her, “you want that don’t you?”   
  
“Yes,” he answered unable to contain himself as her kisses tapered off over his skin, “yes, oh God yes.”   
  
“Then don’t fight it,” she coaxed him further, “tonight I’m yours. Tonight I’m Eve.”   
  
“I‘ve waited a long time to have you back again,” he confessed slipping his fingers into her hair releasing the clip that held it in place as her hair fell over her shoulders cascading around her face framing it beautifully.   
  
“I’ve needed you for so long,” she answered his request kissing him again and again as her arms curled around him, “I’ve waited for you to find me again, to bring me home.”   
  
“You’ve always been here in my heart,” Chris promised kissing her again with more determination as he pressed her back into the sofa moving over her as the moment took on a life of it’s own.   
  
“Show me,” she urged keeping him close to her as she closed her eyes, “show me what it is you want from me.”   
  
“Your love,” he answered his lips tapering off over her shoulder before gently biting her, “I’ve always wanted your love, Eve. I’ve wanted us to be a family, just you, Daniel and I. It’s all I’ve ever dreamed of.”   
  
“What?” she questioned as her eyes opened once more and he claimed her mouth in another kiss.   
  
“I love you,” he breathed against her mouth, “I love you so much and if I’d only told you sooner, but now, now that you’re in my arms again,” he whispered as his hand slid over her leg tracing it’s soft curves, “I’m never going to waste another moment with secrets. Eve, I love you. I have from the moment I met you and I’ve never stopped loving you. You‘re everything to me and you always will be,” he confessed kissing her again with a desperation behind it as things continued between them.   
  
Holly felt his words, hearing him profess his love for her, for Eve Lambert, the woman he’d lost and suddenly this game she’d initiated between them no longer felt like a game. This wasn’t someone she would be able to toy with and walk away from. This was someone with feelings, someone who was in love with a ghost, with a woman she couldn’t be and now as he whispered his love for her, she found herself terrified by the notion of them making love. She hadn’t intended upon making love to him tonight. Sex maybe, but love had never been a part of the deal and now as he whispered all the right words to her, speaking to a woman he’d traveled a great distance to find, something went off inside of her as she broke away from the kiss.   
  
“No,” she blurted out tearing her lips from his as she pushed on his shoulder, “Chris, no.”   
  
“What?” he questioned in confusion as she placed a distance between them, “what’s wrong?”   
  
“I can’t do this to you,” she answered tears threatening as she pulled herself up to a sitting position, “I thought I could. I thought we could, but I was wrong. I’m sorry, but I can’t...”   
  
“Did I do something?” he began seeing something behind her eyes as she drew back from him, “was it something I said?”   
  
“No, it’s me. Chris, it’s me,” she pulled herself up from the sofa easing her silken slip over her body once more as she tossed out an apologetic look at him, “I’m so, so sorry, but I can't do this. I just can’t do this now,” she blurted out turning towards the hallway.   
  
“Eve wait,” Chris called out to her painfully, “Eve please.”   
  
“Chris,” she stopped in the hallway closing her eyes as the tears threatened to overtake her.   
  
“Don’t go. Please, Eve, don’t leave me again,” He begged of her.   
  
“That’s just it, Chris,” she glanced over her shoulder at him painfully, “I’m not Eve. You won’t be making love to Eve and you deserve more than what I can give you. I’m sorry,” she finished before disappearing into the bedroom that had been waiting for her.   
  
“So am I,” Chris sighed leaning back into the sofa as he wondered how things had gotten so far out of hand with them. While he’d been so convinced in Texas that Holly wasn’t a thing like Eve, something had changed, something between them was different when he’d been holding her. When they held one another, it was as if they went back in time, back to the moment they’d given in to passion and it was no longer just a memory. Their night together was alive again in living color and she ceased to be Holly Masters. She wasn’t a woman of mystery and danger, but rather a woman who had held his heart for so many years. All the barriers between them had seemingly diminished as they were left with the truth, with the root of what was between them. Now as he sat on the sofa, he started to question his motives, wondering if he’d made the right decision in asking her to help him on his attack on Ian, but more so he wondered if he’d been wrong about her back in Texas. He’d wanted so desperately to believe in her, to believe she had been Eve, but then after she’d tried to seduce him, he hadn’t believe she was the one. He couldn’t find it in him to believe that Eve could possibly want him, that somehow Holly could be this woman he’d fallen in love with so many years ago, but now as he sat alone in his living room thinking of the look in her eyes as they’d attempted to make love, he began to wonder if his initial reaction hadn’t been off after all. While she proclaimed she was Holly Masters, something about her eyes, her touch, even her retreat had awakened something in him and he was certain that Eve Lambert wasn’t as distant of a memory as he’d imagined. She’d been with him tonight and even if only for a moment he was going to savor that for as long as possible as he closed his eyes dreaming of what might’ve been with the woman of his dreams.


	8. Chapter 8

  
  
Chris took in a long breath before tapping on the door to the room Holly had spent the night in. He waited a moment before hearing her call out for him to enter. Opening the door he found her stretching out across the floor in a series of yoga positions as he cleared his throat watching her flip backwards, her feet up over her head, “Um, bad time?”   
  
“No, not at all,” she shook her head before repositioning herself to an upright position, “come on in.”   
  
“I didn’t know if I should bother you or not,” Chris began making his way across the room as he sat on the corner of the bed, his gaze drifting away from her.   
  
“Look Chris,” she hesitated, “look about last night, I got carried away. I mean you give me twenty four hours without a cigarette and I turn into a nymphomaniac.”   
  
“Holly, it wasn’t all you,” Chris began uneasily, “I mean here I was all enthusiastic about what we’d done with Ian and Lucy and I kind of got carried away.”   
  
“We both did,” she hugged her legs closer to her chest, “but then again I guess you can’t really blame us for doing that seeing as we did do a fantastic job last night.”   
  
“We did, didn’t we?” Chris grinned proudly as he looked over at her.   
  
“The greatest,” she smiled in response, “in fact we should be hearing from Mac Scorpio soon I would imagine. Surely he and his men should’ve made their way over to pick up Daniel by now.”   
  
“Well I don’t know about that,” Chris frowned, “the Port Charles police department does have a reputation for being rather inept about things.”   
  
“Hmm, then maybe I should make another phone call before I hop into the shower,” Holly suggested, “you know pull a few more strings to put the pressure on them even further.”   
  
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Chris raised a curious brow.   
  
“It can’t hurt anything,” she shrugged, “I mean clearly it would be in our best interest to get Daniel here as soon as possible.”   
  
“Of course, but I mean with you pulling the strings,” Chris hesitated contemplating his words once more, “do you think that might draw attention to where you are?”   
  
“How so?”   
  
“With Roger?”   
  
“Oh,” Holly thought it over for a moment, “I doubt it, but hey even if it does, we won’t be staying here much longer once you have your son back and all is set straight, will we?”   
  
“No,” Chris answered shaking his head, “you’ll be free to go.”   
  
“Then there shouldn’t be a problem,” Holly decided, “with me out of your hair you and Daniel can have that life you’d always wanted for one another.”   
  
“You have no idea how much it means for me to have my son back,” Chris confessed thinking about what it had felt like having her in his arms.   
  
“I’m sure it’s an incredible thing,” Holly offered with a soft smile, “Daniel’s a lucky kid to have such a determined father.”   
  
“I wish I’d only given more thought to it sooner. It’s been so long that I sat here doing nothing,” Chris sighed, “I was so lost in my own self-absorption that I felt I was doing what was best for Daniel in leaving him with the father he’d known.”   
  
“Hey it’s never too late,” Holly offered making her way over to the bed beside him reaching for his hand, “I mean you have to admit you were on fire last night. The way everyone kind of had that dumbfounded expression on their faces. That in itself made it all worth the while.”   
  
“You made it worth the while,” Chris faced her as he placed his hand over hers, “you did an amazing job last night.”   
  
“Hey you said you wanted the best,” she offered with an uneasy smile.   
  
“So I did,” Chris watched her closely, “you put on one hell of a performance there.”   
  
“Emmy worthy huh?” Holly grinned in response.   
  
“Most definitely,” he agreed. “And here it did come off as being so natural.”   
  
“But of course,” she smiled proudly, “and hey I’ll have you know that there was no formal training in my past there leading up to last night.”   
  
“Really, and here I thought you would’ve studied with the best of them,” Chris teased.   
  
“No, can’t say I have.”   
  
“Really, well talent like that is a very rare quality,” Chris paused momentarily, “but since you swear you didn’t study drama in college, what was your area of interest?”   
  
“What?” Holly looked over at him a bit confused.   
  
“Clearly you’re an educated woman, so what field did you study before coming on to the scene as Mrs. Roger Masters?”   
  
“Oh a little bit of this and that,” she shrugged, “I had a lot of interests.”   
  
“Come on. There had to be something that kind of stuck out for you,” Chris probed further, “something you really were curious about.”  
  
“Not really,” she shook her head, “not that I can think of.”   
  
“No passion for anything?” he questioned again.   
  
“Other than life?” she grinned widely.   
  
“Yes, other than life,” Chris nodded again, “what was life like for you growing up?”   
  
“Why are you asking so many questions?” she frowned slightly.   
  
“I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted to know about my partner in crime. That’s all.”   
  
“I told you all you need to know,” she rose from the bed.   
  
“Holly, I was just wondering because....” Chris began again watching her pull away.   
  
“Chris, look I appreciate the gesture. Really I do, but the less you know about me, the better off you’ll be,” she answered honestly, “my life is not really the kind of thing you want to step into. Trust me on that one.”   
  
“Why do you say that?” he questioned curiously, “What makes you think that you don’t interest me?”   
  
“Hmm, let’s see other than the fact that I look like a woman you were head over heels in love with, I can’t think of a reason why I’d be of interest to you,” Holly shot him a look.   
  
“Holly, you’d be surprised at who I am if you took the time to look at what I’m all about,” Chris rose from the bed stepping in closer to her.   
  
“Chris, look if this sudden interest in my life was inspired by last night’s turn of events, I apologize for that. I was just playing around....”   
  
“Were you?” he raised a curious brow, “is that what it was?”   
  
“Yeah,” she nodded, “that’s what it was. I was excited about the way things went at the party. I was running on an adrenaline high and you know how it gets when the juices are running on overload.”   
  
“Holly, I don’t think that was it,” Chris shook his head, “tell me something. What happened to take you to Texas?”   
  
“I’ve always liked Texas.”   
  
“But where were you before that?”   
  
“Chris, I already told you...”   
  
“I know you don’t want to get into it,” Chris hesitated, “but maybe we should.”   
  
“No, we shouldn’t,” she shook her head, “as I said before my life is off limits to you, so let‘s leave it at that.”   
  
“Holly,” he started once more as there was a knock from the front door.   
  
“Chris, it sounds like we have company,” Holly informed him firmly, “why don’t you check it out and I’ll get dressed?”   
  
“Holly, I just wish that you and I could talk about...” he began again as there was another knock.   
  
“Just go get the door,” she urged him further as he turned out of the room promising to return to this conversation later as he pulled himself together.   
  
Making his way down the hallway, Chris recalled the night he’d shared with Holly as his doubts about everything along with his hopes for a future with his son were clouding his mind. Opening the door, he half expected to find Mac Scorpio standing before him, but instead he found himself face to face with Karen Wexler.   
  
“Karen,” he blinked back in surprise, “what are you doing here?”   
  
“I came to see Eve,” she explained smoothly, “is she available?”   
  
“She just stepped into a shower,” Chris began realizing if Karen picked up on Holly’s facade his plans for a reunion with his son could go up in smoke, “but I can tell her that you stopped by.”   
  
“I’ll wait,” Karen pushed her way into the apartment, “I mean it took her long enough to find her way home so a few minutes here with you won’t hurt me when it comes to seeing my best friend again. Wouldn‘t you agree?”   
  
“Of course, but really she’s not feeling too well.”   
  
“Oh really, well she looked stunning last night especially for a woman who’s been dead almost two years.”   
  
“Well you know she’s had a long trip home,” Chris began again, “but if you’d like her to call you...”   
  
“That won’t be necessary,” Holly’s voice called out from the hallway as she looked to Karen and smile, “Karen can stay. In fact I‘d love to catch up with her.”   
  
“See Chris,” Karen smiled at him sarcastically, “Eve doesn't mind, so lighten up,” Karen finished making her way across the room to greet Holly as Chris feared Karen could figure out everything before things were as he wanted them.   
  
*****************  
  
“This can’t really be happening, can it?” Lucy questioned shakily as she made her way into the living room beside her husband, “Eve, can’t just take Danny away like this, can she?”   
  
“I’m afraid so Lucy,” Scott nodded in response looking over the papers that had been faxed to his office, “the court granted Eve full custody of Daniel.”   
  
“But there was no hearing,” Ian argued, “surely there needs to be something before she can just up and leave with my son.”   
  
“I can try to get this reversed, but it’ll take some time,” Scott replied with a frown, “are you sure Eve won’t talk to you?”   
  
“I tried last night, but I couldn’t get past Ramsey,” Ian grumbled, “but damn him he’s warped her mind. He’s taken everything about Lambert and twisted it. She isn’t thinking clearly because if she was, she wouldn’t be doing this.”   
  
“Ian, you and Eve will have to work on that, but first I know how painful this is going to be, but you have to do what this court order says. You have to let Eve be with Daniel.”   
  
“I don’t have to let her do anything.”   
  
“Ian’s right. He’s our son and we’ve taken care of him while she’s been off heaven only knows where,” Lucy added tearfully, “that little boy loves us and he’s happy here.”   
  
“Even so Lucy, Eve has a right as his mother....” Scott began with a sigh.   
  
“I’m his mother, Scott. I’ve been the one who’s taken care of him from the start. I’ve been there with him when she wasn’t and now she wants to take that time away from us. It’s just not fair,” Lucy replied tearfully, “I love that little boy as if he’s my own.”   
  
“Lucy, I realize that, but Eve is his mother.”   
  
“Lucy has been his mother and I intend to keep it that way. My son isn’t leaving here,” Ian added bluntly reaching out to his wife, “we’re not letting them take him.”   
  
“Ian, you don’t have a choice,” Scott sighed again as the doorbell rang. “Don’t make this worse than it already is.”   
  
“Ian,” Lucy cried out as he held her closer to him and Scott moved over to open the door allowing Mac into the home.   
  
“Lucy, Ian,” Mac began tightly hating what was set out before him, “I hate to do this, but I‘m here for Danny....”   
  
“He’s not leaving here Mac,” Ian snapped in response, “you won’t take him.”   
  
“Ian, I realize this is a difficult situation, but there’s a court order.”   
  
“I don’t care what the order says,” Ian objected as Kate stepped into the house glaring at him.   
  
“It doesn’t really matter what you have to say Dr. Thornhart, my client has rights and I’m here to see to it that you don’t try to violate them any further than you already have,” Kate motioned to one of the officers, “Daniel belongs with his mother and we’re here to make it happen.”   
  
“You, I should’ve known you’d play a part in this,” Lucy stepped forward, “you’ve been looking for a reason to get at us for a while.”   
  
“Now Lucy that is completely unprofessional for you to think I would stoop to that level,” she couldn’t help but smile, “but I will confess that in a case like this, I do enjoy seeing justice served.”   
  
“This isn’t justice and you know it,” Lucy snapped back at her.   
  
“Oh see now there’s where we differ on opinions,” Kate argued, “in seeing a mother reunite with her child, that’s where I see the true justice being served,” she offered with a smile as Scott brought Daniel out into the living room, “you know it’s too bad I wasn’t around when Julie Devlin was fighting for Christina. Maybe then justice would’ve been served as well.”   
  
“Why you bitch,” Lucy lunged towards her as Ian intervened.   
  
“Lucy don’t,” Ian held his wife back, “this is exactly what she wants. This is what Ramsey wants in trying to destroy us, but we won’t let it happen. He might’ve turned Lambert against me, but he won’t get away with this. We will get Danny back.”   
  
“Ian,” Mac looked over to him as Scott approached Ian and Lucy, “it’s time.”   
  
“No, oh Ian no,” Lucy shook her head hating to say good-bye to the child they’d spent so much time with since Eve’s ‘death’.   
  
“This isn’t over,” Ian warned Kate before reaching out to Daniel, “let Ramsey know that this war is just beginning. I‘m not going to lay down and accept this. Make sure he‘s aware of that.”   
  
“Oh he’s aware Ian,” Kate offered up, “But you don’t stand a chance. Keep that in mind,” she finished feeling the sweet taste of victory wash over her in this moment where Ian and Lucy were on the losing end of this battle.   
  
**************  
  
“So Karen, how are you?” Holly lead Karen over to the sofa urging her to take a seat, “really, how have you been?”   
  
“Eve, I’ve missed you so much,” Karen confessed still unable to believe her eyes as she looked to her friend, “so many times I wished you were here and then it was so empty without you, but now, now when I see you sitting before me, it’s like another miracle has happened here in Port Charles.”   
  
“Indeed it has,” Holly offered up with a smile.   
  
“So where have you been? What happened?” Karen questioned further, “there’s so much I want to know about where you’ve been.”   
  
“You could say I’ve been lost,” Holly confessed darting her eyes across the room at Chris who’d been watching her intently, “but now I’m home again.”   
  
“To stay I hope,” Karen reached out to embrace her, “things haven’t been the same without you. I’ve missed you so much.”   
  
“I’ve missed you too Karen,” Holly hugged her in response, “I’ve missed hearing all about your life, all about what’s been going on with you.”   
  
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” Karen confessed drawing back.   
  
“Try me,” Holly offered up, “I’m pretty good at listening if you do remember.”   
  
“Of course I do,” Karen smiled at her, “but so much has happened.”   
  
“So start from where we left off,” Holly suggested, “what’s going on? How’s work?”   
  
“Work is work,” Karen shrugged, “nothing out of the ordinary there.”   
  
“I find that hard to believe seeing as this is Port Charles after all,” Holly offered with a slight grin, “nothing is as it seems around here.”   
  
“You’ve got that right,” Karen couldn’t help but agree, “though now that you’re back it seems to feel a bit more normal than I’d imagined it to be ever again.”   
  
“We’ve all been cheated out of so much time together,” Holly insisted glancing over at Chris again, “it’s a shame that things happened like they did.”   
  
“That’s all in the past now,” Karen reminded her with a smile, “now is a time for moving forward.”   
  
“Indeed it is,” Chris agreed stepping into the conversation, “the past should stay there as we look forward to the new days ahead of us.”   
  
“That is something we’ll surely do indeed, however, before we can do that, there’s something in the past I need to discuss with Karen,” Holly explained shifting her gaze over to Karen once again, “Chris and I haven’t been totally honest with you, but I think that we should be.”   
  
“Eve?” Chris questioned concerned by the tone in her voice.   
  
“Chris, I trust her. It’s going to be okay,” Holly assured him before turning her full attention on Karen, “there are some things about me that you don’t know Karen, but seeing as you’ve always been such a good friend, I think it’s time you knew the truth before you find out some other way.”   
  
“Eve, what is it?”   
  
“Karen, Ian’s not Daniel’s father,” Holly blurted out, “Chris is.”   
  
“What?” Karen gasped looking between the two of them, “you’re kidding right?”   
  
“No, not at all,” Holly shook her head, “it’s a long and complicated story, but Chris is Daniel’s father.”   
  
“Does Ian know that?”   
  
“Not yet, but we plan on doing a DNA test to confirm it for him,” Chris explained moving around over by Holly on the sofa, “that way he and Lucy have no reason but to let up on the situation.”   
  
“We just want to be able to be a family,” Holly added reaching for Chris’ hand as Karen looked between the two of them confused.   
  
“I don’t understand. When did you two....”   
  
“Eve and Ian were having problems when he was married to Ariana,” Chris began.   
  
“One thing lead to another and now here we are,” Holly offered up with a shrug, “I guess you could say it’s funny how the universe works.”   
  
“That sounds like something Lucy would say,” Karen replied.   
  
“I shudder at the thought,” Holly groaned inwardly.   
  
“You know while I realize you two haven’t gotten along, she was good with Daniel.”   
  
“Yeah I can see she’s done a great job with her life. I mean hell she was so in love with Kevin and now where is he?” Chris commented as Karen shifted uneasily in her seat.   
  
“They had some problems, but I think it’s best they parted ways,” Karen offered up as there was a knock on the door.   
  
“Maybe our guest of honor is here,” Chris leapt off the couch going to open the door as he found Kevin standing on the other side, “Speak of the devil.”   
  
“Chris,” Kevin began entering the apartment as he noted Holly and Karen up ahead. Shifting uneasily he threw a polite smile in their direction, “Karen, Eve.”   
  
“Kevin,” Karen nodded before looking away after a moment.   
  
“Eve, how are you,” Kevin started unclear on what to say as he looked at his ‘dead’ ex-wife.   
  
“I’m nervous,” Holly answered, “just waiting for the moment that my son returns to me.”   
  
“It’s been a long time,” Kevin started as Holly rose from the chair.   
  
“It has, but I think in the end it’ll be perfect once Daniel is here,” she answered, “I’ve missed him so much.”   
  
“And he’s missed you,” Kevin offered up.   
  
“Look Kevin I know that you and Lucy have ties to one another, but Daniel is my son.”   
  
“I know,” Kevin nodded, “and if you think I came up here to debate the issue with you on your getting him back, well you’re wrong. If you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call me.”   
  
“That’s awfully generous of you Kevin,” Chris noted moving in to join the others, “what inspired that offer?”   
  
Kevin glanced over at Karen briefly, “Something Eve said last night. She was talking about the accident, about Ian playing a part in it and it got me thinking.”   
  
“About?” Holly inquired.   
  
“About the details of the accident. From the moment I heard the news something didn’t add up with me and now that I see you here, Eve I need to know everything that happened. I need to know exactly what the accident involved.”   
  
“Kevin, I’d rather not get into that right now,” Holly brushed past him making her way over towards Chris, “right now Daniel is my priority.”   
  
“I realize that, but Eve if Ian tried to kill you, he can’t just get away with it.”   
  
“Kevin’s right Eve. If Ian was behind your accident, then he has to pay,” Karen agreed moving off of the sofa, “he lead us all to believe you were dead all this time and here you are...”   
  
“He thought I was dead and I needed it that way until I was ready,” Holly offered up.   
  
“And now?”   
  
“Now I want my son,” Holly answered sharply, “and I’m not going to give up this battle until Daniel and I are together again.”   
  
“You will be together again,” Chris promised as there was yet another knock at the door.   
  
“I’ll get it,” Holly offered not wanting to get into a discussion with Kevin as she moved to open the door finding a pair of tiny brown eyes before her as Kate held Daniel in her arms.   
  
“I believe someone is here to see you Eve,” Kate offered with a smile before squeezing Daniel in her arms, “look who’s here.”   
  
Daniel said nothing as he looked to Holly curiously. His small face seemed to be marked by confusion and curiosity as he nibbled on a cracker that Kate had provided him with. He was dressed in a little blue jean pair of overalls and a tiny red shirt that had Bugs Bunny on the front of it as Holly finally took a good look at the child that had brought her and Chris back to Port Charles. His dark hair seemed to curl just beneath his ear as he nibbled on the cracker as if waiting for someone to speak up and tell him what was going on.   
  
“Can we come in?” Kate questioned noting Holly’s silence as Chris rushed over beside her.   
  
“Of course you can,” Chris responded reaching out towards Daniel, “hey buddy, how’s it going?”   
  
Daniel immediately recognized Chris and reached into his arms eager to see him. Chris accepted the small child holding him close as Kate noted the room full of visitors.   
  
“Well I didn’t realize we were having a reunion here other than this homecoming of Daniel’s, but it looks like the more the merrier.”   
  
“Kate,” Kevin nodded in response, “it’s nice to see you again.”   
  
“Likewise,” Kate offered up, “and luckily it’s under good circumstances such as these,” she glanced over at Chris, “nothing makes me happier than to reunite a child with their parents.”   
  
“Thank you for your help, Kate,” Chris smiled at her, “Eve and I appreciate it.”   
  
“Well, while I’d like to pat myself on the back here, I don’t think that it’s in order just yet,” Kate explained to him seriously, “with Ian’s attitude earlier I can tell you now that he’s going to be fighting this. He had Scott Baldwin over there trying to help him and Lucy keep Daniel.”   
  
“My father was there?” Karen questioned in confusion.   
  
“Apparently,” Kate nodded, “while he seemed to be the reasonable one of the group, Ian’s made it clear that he and Lucy don’t intend to just offer up Daniel to Eve and Chris. He’s ready for a fight.”   
  
“It’s a fight he’s going to lose because Daniel is my son, not his,” Holly blurted out.   
  
“Eve, I know you’re upset with him, but biologically...” Kevin started.   
  
“Kevin,” Karen touched his arm, “Ian isn’t Daniel’s father. Chris is.”   
  
“Chris?” Kevin looked between Karen, Holly and Chris, “you’re kidding right?”   
  
“Afraid not,” Karen shook her head.   
  
“But how? I mean, when did you learn....” Kevin stammered.   
  
“I just found out,” Karen blurted out.   
  
“It is kind of a shock to everyone I’m sure, but I couldn’t keep the truth from coming into light,” Holly added.   
  
“As you shouldn’t have to,” Kate insisted, “which leads me to the two of you producing those DNA results as I’m sure that Ian will be right on the ball with that one trying to disprove Chris has any biological link to Daniel.”   
  
“Let him try,” Chris hugged Daniel closer, “he won’t succeed.”   
  
“Maybe not, but still we have to be one step ahead of the game,” Kate reminded him.   
  
“And we will be, but for now,” Chris looked to the group, “if you don’t mind I’d really like to spend some time alone with Eve and Daniel.”  
  
“I think that’s a good idea,” Karen nodded in response, “Kevin and I should get going anyways.”   
  
“I’m on my way out too,” Kate added as she followed the duo towards the door, “but if you need anything....”   
  
“I know where to call,” Chris answered as the trio left the apartment and Chris turned his attention to Daniel, “hey buddy, how are you doing?”   
  
Daniel shrugged before glancing over at Holly with obvious interest. He found her watching him before he shyly buried his head in Chris’ chest. After a moment he popped his head up to look at her before hiding again and Chris let out a tiny laugh.   
  
“She is beautiful, isn’t she?” Chris couldn’t help but smile, “would you like to go see your mommy?”   
  
“Chris, I don’t know if it’s a good idea for you to tell him that considering,” Holly began uneasily as he stepped towards her.   
  
“You two have to bond even if this isn’t forever,” Chris remained her again, “just give it a chance. I'm sure you’re a natural.”   
  
“Chris,” Holly began again as Daniel looked to her with curious eyes, “hey you.”   
  
“Hi,” He smiled before lowering his eyes again.   
  
“Are you shy?” Holly couldn’t help but smile as she watched him shake his head no, “oh I see, well then, maybe you’d like to talk. Do you like to talk?” he shook his head no again as Chris squeezed him.   
  
“Oh come on now Danny, don’t be shy around your mommy. She loves you very much,” Chris promised kissing his forehead as Holly shot him a look.   
  
“Chris, I don’t know if it’s such a good idea to,” she paused as Daniel looked up at her studying her features before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a tiny photo album.   
  
“Book,” Daniel handed it to her before smiling, “my book.”   
  
“It’s a beautiful book,” Holly smiled as she watched him wiggle his way out of Chris’ arms. Once Daniel was on the floor, he turned to her extending his little hand out to her.   
  
“Do you want to go sit down?” she questioned as he nodded reaching for her hand once more.   
  
“Okay,” Holly agreed taking his little hand as he made his way over to the sofa. Holly reached in to help him get up but within a matter of seconds he was seated awaiting her to follow.   
  
“Wanna read it with me?” Daniel questioned motioning towards his book as his big, brown eyes remained fixed on her.   
  
Holly exchanged glances with Chris as he urged her on. Slowly she sat down beside Daniel and he instantly crawled into her lap retrieving the book from her hands with a smile before settling in over her.   
  
“So what are we going to read today?” Holly questioned curiously as Daniel opened the first page of the photo album which read ‘property of Daniel’. She watched as he pointed to the words and smiled.   
  
“My book,” He explained turning a page before showing her a photo of him when he was first born, “that’s me.”   
  
“You were such a cute little boy, weren’t you?” Holly smiled as he flipped through the pages showing her each of the little moments that had been seemingly captured on film.   
  
Saying nothing Chris watched the two of them interact as he recalled the moment he’d giving Daniel that book of photos. It was a wonder that Ian and Lucy had let him keep it as they seemed so set on letting Daniel remain locked in their little world for them. However, as he watched Daniel and Holly a smile washed over his features.   
  
“Danny hungry,” Daniel explained to Chris looking up as he finished with the book at hand.   
  
“Well let’s work on fixing that,” Chris said, “how about some macaroni and cheese?”   
  
Daniel nodded approvingly before looking to Holly once more and opening his book again.   
  
“You want to read it again?”   
  
He nodded before going through the pages once more.   
  
“I’ll get him something to eat,” Chris hesitated, “will you be okay?”   
  
“Of course we will,” Holly nodded in response offering up a light smile as Chris left the room giving her a moment with Daniel. Gently she ran her fingers through his dark hair listening to him talk about his photos before he came to a halt and he looked up at her with a smile.   
  
“My book of mommy,” he explained pointing to a photograph that Holly hadn’t caught the first time before. She looked in closer seeing it was a photo of Eve holding Daniel right after he’d been born. She looked so happy and he was so tiny. As the smile washed over Eve’s features she couldn’t help but smile thinking about what an amazing little boy he truly was.   
  
“Mommy?” he questioned breaking her line of thoughts as she realized he’d turned to face her. He reached out to cup her face in his tiny hands as he searched her eyes for a long moment.   
  
Holly found herself unsure of what to say as Daniel seemed to be reading into her, attempting to draw something out with his unspoken inquiry and she found herself a bit uneasy, but as the same time it felt nice almost serene to hold him. There was something about the smile that lit up his face as he finally leaned in to sloppily kiss her cheek.   
  
“I love you mommy,” he hugged her tightly as Holly wrapped her arms around him feeling a bond with this small child as he’d concluded that she was in fact his mother. Holding him tighter, she closed her eyes enjoying the warmth of him as she thought back to that dark point in her life that existed before she’d made her way to Port Charles. Without question this boy was accepting her as his mother, opening up to her and somehow with his little hug, it seemed to make life worthwhile and for the first time since she’d found her way back into Port Charles being Eve Lambert was the one thing that meant more to her than any other choice she’d made. Granted helping Chris was a plus, but in holding Daniel, it seemed as if she was right where she was meant to be, as if this was the place she truly belonged at, with Chris and with her ‘son’. She just hoped that at the end of all of this, she’d find some way to make this happiness last even if only for a short while.


	9. Chapter 9

“Chris, are you getting in here?” Holly questioned as Daniel wiggled around on the sofa uneasily, “Just hold on Daniel. He’ll be right back.”

“Ice cream,” Daniel clapped his hands together, “I want some ice cream.”

“Chris, what is taking so long?” Holly questioned again as she reached for Danny’s hand, “I want ice cream too Danny. Hurry up Chris!”

“Gees, you two are very impatient, aren’t you?” Chris reentered the room carrying three bowls of ice cream, “and here I thought this would be an easy laid back night here, but no, you two have other plans for me, don’t you?”

“Well you know we just know a good thing when it’s set out before us,” Holly smiled at him as Daniel held his arms out eagerly to accept the bowl Chris was holding.

“Want some now,” Danny explained before offering up a bright smile, “please?”

“For you pal,” Chris grinned handing it over to Daniel, “sure thing.”

“Thank you,” Danny replied holding his bowl proudly.

“You’re very welcome,” Chris slid in on the sofa beside Daniel as he looked over at Holly, “So what’s on the agenda for tonight?”

“Well we weren’t quite sure what to do, but Danny wanted to watch TV,” Holly explained, “and I found this bag over here that Karen left from earlier.”

“What’s in it?” Chris questioned curiously eyeing the bag.

“It looks like some movies she brought over for him?” Holly explained as Daniel offered up his bowl for her to hold and he made his way off of the sofa rushing over to the bag.

“Mine,” he explained holding it close to him before reaching inside and looking through the bag.

“It looks like Daniel has made his choice for tonight,” Chris couldn’t help but smile as Daniel pulled a tape out of the bag and handed over to Chris with a smile, “Watch this.”

“What is it?” Chris questioned noting the unmarked tape, “what do we have on this?”

“It’s mine,” Danny grinned clapping his hands together, “my tape.”

“Well he seems to know what’s on it,” Holly noted with a smile, “perhaps we should put it in there and see what it is.”

“Yay,” Daniel hopped up and down excitedly as he watched Chris put the tape in the VCR. Eagerly making his way up onto the sofa again, Daniel moved in beside Holly reaching for his bowl of ice cream.

“Let’s just see what we have here,” Chris pressed play on the VCR remote and watched as a black screen filled the TV monitor followed by the sounds of laughter.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” the voice over the monitor began to laugh again.

“Trust me one day you’ll appreciate this,” Kevin’s voice filled the room as Eve’s face was on the TV screen.

“Want to remind me again why I let you agree to this?” she questioned with another hint of laughter as he had the camera do a close-up on her eyes, “Kevin, what are you doing?”

“Just seeing how this thing works,” his voice answered as the camera zoomed out to reveal her standing before him in a pink dress.

“There what do you think?” she shifted around blowing a kiss at the camera as Holly watched Daniel blow a kiss back at the television set.

“I think you look beautiful,” Kevin’s voice explained as Eve stood before him, “now say something.”

“To who? About what?”

“Say something about the future, about where you see yourself in twenty years?”

“Ugh, do I have to think that far ahead,” Eve’s voice teased, “it’s bad enough to think I have to go do this nurse’s ball number tonight when heaven knows how uncoordinated I am.”

“Come on. Humor me,” Kevin coaxed her further, “say something to your children.”

“My children, huh?” Eve thought it over for a moment before smiling, “okay here it goes. From what you see here on this tape tonight, your mommy is a very silly lady, but hopefully you won’t hold that against her in her older years. Also if my children are watching this tape right now, then it means that somehow my greatest dreams and the miracle I’ve always hoped for has come true because I want nothing more in this world than to be a mommy,” she paused her eyes getting misted over, “I’m going to cry.”

“Go on,” Kevin’s voice urged.

“I just want to say to my son or daughter in the future that when the time comes for you to be in this world, I know in my heart that I’ll do everything in my power to be a good mother to you. Sure I might not know everything, but then again you’ll find not any of us ever really do, but we’ll go through it together learning as we go and hey if this nut behind the camera is still in our lives, well we’ll have to teach him a thing or two as well.”

“Hey I resent that,” Kevin set the camera down as the sound of laughter filled the air before the screen shifted to the nurse’s ball and a flash of the interns doing their dance number filled the screen filled with the sounds of Bad Case of Loving You buzzing through the air.

Holly turned her eyes towards Daniel watching him as he kept his eyes on the entire number from start to finish. After the song was through the scene cut to another place where Chris and Eve were talking to one another from what appeared to be behind the stage at the same place they’d been at earlier.

“We’re going to be awesome tonight,” Eve teased to the camera tossing her arm around Chris with a bright grin.

“Well I’m already awesome so you know we’ll just have to work on getting Lambert up to speed with me,” he teased back as Eve nudged him.

“Watch it you or else I’ll make a point to step on your toes out there,” Eve threatened as Holly heard a slight laugh rise from Chris over on the sofa.

“Oh you’re feisty tonight,” the onscreen Chris teased before dipping Eve in his arms offering up a playful kiss on her lips.

“Hold on,” Karen’s voice cut in with objection, “I can’t show Kevin this tape. There’s no way he’s going to be keen on this.”

“So edit it out,” Chris looked up as Eve was dipped back in his arms still and he moved in to kiss her again.

“Watch it pal,” Eve warned placing her finger in the center of his chest, “you are coming close to crossing a dangerous line here.”

“Danger is my middle name,” Chris raised a brow teasingly as the scene shifted once again and Kevin was sitting in the middle of a room, eased back in a chair with a fireplace burning behind him.

“Daniel,” Kevin’s voice spoke smooth and even, “I know right now this might not make much sense to you, but what you’ve been seeing here is your mother. I know she hasn’t been around much for you to see her, but well you know she’s always with you even if you can’t see her. I know that too sounds confusing and I’ll try my best to explain, but the truth is that while your mother is in heaven, she’s still with us. She’s always here watching over us and even though it’s not the same as seeing her every day, I want you to know just how much I’m sure she loves you. She wanted you so desperately in her life and the day you were born was the happiest day of her life. Watching her hold you in her arms made life worth living for her and even now I don’t think Eve was ever truly alive until she was your mother. I know you’ll probably have heard a great many things about your mother from everyone who knew and loved her, but in case you haven’t heard it enough to believe it, you were your mother’s world. She loved you very much which is why Karen and I wanted to make you this tape to remind you of what your mother was like, what it was about her spirit that made everyone love her and most of all to let you share in some of her memories that we know she would’ve wanted you to see. You saw a few before, and you’ll see a few more as the tape goes on, but know that your mother is always with you and she always will be.”

With that the tape faded to black before another Eve moment filled the screen. Holly found herself surprised by this home video as her gaze shifted to Chris, who looked a bit like he was going to cry himself in reliving the moments of Eve Lambert’s past. She too was shaken up, but as she looked down to Danny who gazed up at her with his big, brown eyes, she knew that he was seeing his mother. Somehow the tape and the pictures had kept Eve alive for the small boy and as he stretched his arms out to her, Holly pulled him closer hugging him tighter as she felt the love deep within his embrace.

“I love you,” he whispered hugging her.

“I love you too Danny,” she couldn’t help but get choked up as she closed her eyes fighting the tears that threatened with him in her arms, “mommy loves you so much.”

“Holly,” Chris began turning his attention away from the television as he watched her holding Daniel and humming a tune to him. As Chris watched the two of them, he found himself lost in the moment of seeing her sing to Daniel and Daniel seemed to melt in her arms, warming up to her in ways he hadn’t anticipated so soon. Somehow the connection between them was there and alive, but not only was Daniel feeling it, but Holly was too in that moment. Chris opened his mouth to speak again as the phone rang.

Holly looked to him breaking the connection with Daniel as Chris rose from the sofa, “I’ll get it,” he explained as Holly tended to a now sleepy Daniel.

“Hello,” Chris answered the phone never taking his eyes off of Holly and Daniel.

“Chris, hey it’s Jack.”

“Jack, hey what’s up?”

“Chris, I think we need to talk. Do you have a little time for me?” Jack questioned with a pause.

“Yeah sure. I mean if you want to come over Eve, Daniel and I are here just spending time together, but you can join us.”

“Actually,” Jack hesitated, “I’d rather we meet somewhere else. Just the two of us.”

“Jack, what’s going on?”

“Chris, just meet me at the Grille say in a half an hour, okay?”

“Well,” Chris turned his attention to Holly and Daniel, “okay but I can’t stay long.”

“Chris, hopefully it won’t take too long,” Jack replied with a sigh, “see you soon?”

“Yeah, that’ll be fine,” Chris hung up the phone before looking over to Holly, “That was Jack. He wants to see me.”

“Oh, I see, well if you have to go...”

“Will you be alright with Daniel?” Chris questioned as he noticed Daniel was already dozing off in Holly’s arms.

“We should be fine,” She nodded, “everything is set up in his room if he gets ready for bed.”

“Okay then I’ll be back soon,” Chris threw out a look before reaching for his jacket, “you’re sure everything is okay?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, “we’ll be fine.”

“Alright then,” Chris decided, “I’ll be back soon.”

“We’ll be here,” Holly waved watching him leave before she turned her eyes to Daniel once again thinking about the precious little boy she was holding in her arms.

******

Kate sipped her drink as she reviewed her notes for the custody battle. She was certain this too would be one of those cases that she’d put extra hours into, but as she thought of the smug Dr. Thornhart and his wife she realized that more than ever she welcomed the challenge it would present. With a victorious smile, she thought back to the little reunion she’d orchestrated earlier between Chris, Eve and Daniel and a proud smile washed over her features.

“You’re looking rather elated tonight,” Frank Scanlon’s voice interrupted her work as she glanced up at him skeptically.

“What can I do for you Mr. Scanlon?” Kate collected her things scooping them into a pile and closing her folder before placing her hands over it swiftly.

“Top secret stuff huh?” Frank took a seat across from her at the table, “must be important for you to be making a late night of it.”

“All of my work is important,” Kate answered flatly, “and as I said before I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Actually, you never said that,” Frank threw out with a smile, “and I’m sure if you had, you wouldn’t have meant it.”

“I’ve heard all about your charm and I have to warn you, it doesn’t work on women like me,” Kate answered flatly, “so why don’t you spare me the sweet talk and tell me what it is you’re looking for from me.”

“You cut right to the point, don’t you?” Frank offered with a smile.

“I find life works out much easier to do it that way,” Kate hesitated, “so what’s on your mind Frank?”

“I heard you were helping Ramsey and Eve get Daniel away from Ian and Lucy.”

“I’m helping Daniel be with who he belongs with,” Kate cut back.

“Well maybe I could help you,” Frank suggested.

“Is that so? And how would you be able to help me Mr. Scanlon?”

“Well, I might have some information that would help your case.”

“And what makes you think anything you have to say would be of any interest to me?”

“Because it would give you some insight on Ian’s true character and on Eve’s accident,” Frank watched her curious eyes.

“I’m listening.”

“Well, let’s just say that I know things,” Frank paused, “that is if the price is right.”

“Isn’t bribery beneath you Frank?”

“I’m not looking for a bribe, but more so some assistance,” Frank confessed with a sigh.

“Assistance with what?”

“In seeing my daughter Christina. Ian and Lucy have her held up so tightly in their home that they’ve cut me out of visitations with her and I want that.”

“I see, and in return you’d offer up information on Ian to me?”

“If you help me see my daughter,” he nodded, “yes I would.”

“How can I trust your information seeing as you clearly have a motive to get at Ian?”

“I just want to see my daughter and let the truth out,” Frank sighed, “All I’m asking is a chance to see my daughter. I wasn’t given that by the time I learned she was mine.”

“Well, while I'm not sure of your interests in this, perhaps I could buy you a drink,” Kate suggested, “and we can have a talk.”

“So you’ll help me?” He questioned eagerly.

“I never said that, but we can talk,” Kate decided wondering just what Frank Scanlon could offer up to her case. Perhaps this was the key she was looking for in destroying Ian once and for all.

*****

Chris entered the Grille finding Jack waiting for him over at the bar as expected. Making his way across the room, he took a seat beside his brother who’d already started in on drinks, “Kind of early to start in on that, don’t you think?” Chris teased making himself comfortable beside his brother.

“I needed to get a head start on things,” Jack confessed, “seeing as I don’t know what’s coming and going these days.”

“Jack, is everything alright with you? With Alison?” Chris questioned concerned.

“Ali is great, better than great, but it’s you that I’m worried about,” Jack confessed with another frown, “Chris, why didn’t you tell me what was going on? Why didn’t you mention you were bringing Eve back with you?”

“I guess it didn’t cross my mind,” Chris shrugged.

“Look Missy told me about you following some woman around you thought was Eve, but I never thought....”

“That what? That she might be Eve?” Chris questioned blankly.

“Something like that. When Missy told me you were chasing after this woman you met up with,” Jack hesitated, “Chris, she told me about this search you went on.”

“And obviously it wasn’t in vain,” Chris shrugged, “as you can see Eve’s alive.”

“I see that, but I don’t know if I believe it,” Jack confessed, “we all saw she was dead.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“I realize that and believe me I know that of all people after everything we’ve all been through, but Chris something about this seems almost too good to be true.”

“How so?” Chris questioned sipping his drink.

“Chris, you wanted so desperately to believe that Eve wasn’t gone. I know how much you loved her and now she’s here.”

“Which is a miracle,” Chris offered up.

“As I said too good to be true,” Jack sighed, “Chris I know about how you found this woman, how you hunted her down in the hopes of finding Eve.”

“Jack, she is Eve. She’s clearly the woman I fell in love with all those years ago and she’s back.”

“But where was she Chris? Why didn’t she just come back to Port Charles on her own?”

“She was afraid and can you blame her after what Ian did to her?” Chris shook his head, “that bastard is going to pay for what he did to keep my family apart.”

“Your family?” Jack repeated before taking another sip of his drink, “I take it you and Eve finally went public then.”

“We told Karen and Kevin the truth and Ian no doubt will know sooner or later. There's no point in hiding it from the world. Daniel is my son and he belongs with me.”

“And his mother, right?” Jack eyed him skeptically.

“Why are you giving me the third degree?” Chris frowned slightly.

“Because I know she's not Eve. Chris, I know who she is and what you’re doing,” Jack frowned again leaning in closer as he lowered his voice, “I know all about Holly and about what’s going on. It doesn’t take much to figure out what you’re into over your head and I’m telling you now it isn’t going to work.”

“I don’t know what Missy told you Jack, but she is Eve,” Chris insisted, “a lot of things happened to her and brought her to where she was, but she's Eve.”

“Chris, I know you want her to be, but a woman like that...”

“Jack, it’s her,” Chris argued, “I knew it from the moment I found her and I still believe that to be true.”

“Fine, so you believe, but what happens when people start asking more questions? What happens when they start digging and find out she’s been living as Holly Masters?” Jack questioned noting Chris’ silence, “Chris, it didn’t take much for me to find out what was going on. How long do you think it’s going to take Ian to figure it out?”

“By the time he even thinks that he knows something, we’ll be long gone,” Chris argued.

“So that’s it? You take Daniel and book with some woman who’s living a lie with you?”

“Jack, I know you might find this hard to believe, but I know in my heart that woman is Eve. Deep down she knows it too and I just have to bring it out from within her.”

“Chris, you can’t force something that isn’t real. That’s not fair to either one of you.”

“What isn’t fair is for you to get on me. I know what is before my eyes.”

“And you’re blinded by your heart,” Jack argued, “Chris, don’t make another mistake because of the past that’s haunting you. You know this isn’t what you want.”

“What I want is to have my family together again. Is that so wrong?”

“Chris,” Jack sighed, “I’m not saying it’s wrong, but I don't want you hurt again. I know what it was like when you lost her once and if you set yourself up to do it again...”

“I won’t lose her again,” Chris argued thinking about Holly, “I'm telling you that this is the real deal. She’s it and we’re going to have that happily ever after.”

“Chris, I hope you’re right, but if my instincts are headed in the right direction, I have a feeling there’s nothing but disaster in the future especially if this woman isn’t what she seems.”

“She is,” Chris cut him off as he thought of his time almost making love to Holly, “she’s the real deal Jack and that’s not going to change. That much I’m sure of. She is Eve Lambert.”

*****

Holly rubbed her shoulders letting out a soft sigh as she reluctantly pulled herself out of Daniel’s room. He’d fallen asleep a short while ago in her arms and while she’d wanted to hold him the rest of the night, he seemed like he’d be more comfortable in his bed. After a long hesitation, Holly finally tucked him in beneath the blankets as a warm smile tugged at her lips. Somehow in being with Daniel, it was as if her life held meaning again, as if something positive was coming out of this moment she had with him. Closing the door as she left his room, she thought it over for a moment before keeping it open a crack as she returned to the living room.

Making herself comfortable on the sofa, Holly turned on the video of Eve once again and she found herself absorbed with the images on the tape as she thought back to her own tortured life. It had been such a long time since she’d felt comfortable in her skin, even though she’d done one incredible job of faking it. Now as she sat in Chris Ramsey’s apartment with his son, her own life flashed before her, at least the parts she could remember of it. Most of her past was in a haze, but from what she gathered it wasn’t much to talk about. She pulled up her shirt looking to the scar that graced her just below her waist line. She traced it for a moment thinking back to the time she’d first encountered Lula. She was terrified, frightened of the mystery of her own life and being, but now as she sat in Chris Ramsey’s apartment, she felt almost at home, too comfortable as she looked to the time.

Deciding her thoughts were overwhelming her, Holly reached for the cordless phone dialing the one number that she was certain would clear her head. Upon hearing Lula’s cheerful hello on the other end of the line, Holly let out a tiny sigh, “Hey girlfriend.”

“Holly, hey I didn’t think I’d be hearing from ya so soon,” Lula beamed back at her, “girl, how are you?”

“Good, really good,” Holly offered up, “this Chris Ramsey is a man of style just like I’d imagined he’d be.”

“So he’s treating you right?”

“It’s amazing,” Holly confessed, “we went to a party last night and you wouldn't believe the crowd response. Everyone was so happy to see Eve again that it was exhilarating.”

“A real charge huh?” Lula questioned.

“Like nothing you’d ever believe,” Holly continued, “the way the room was silenced, the way all eyes were on us and Chris, oh he was amazing. He was beyond anything I’d imagined when we stuck it to Ian.”

“Ian?”

“Eve’s husband,” Holly groaned, “and what a jackass he was. It took everything in me not to deck him when he started in on me.”

“So you’ve already made some friends huh?” Lula teased.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Holly reached for her purse pulling out a piece of nicorette gum and popping it into her mouth, “and guess what. I’m a mother.”

“A mother?” Lula repeated, “my you and Chris have been getting along well, haven’t you?”

“Very funny,” Holly began to chew her gum, “I’m serious though, Danny is the most adorable child. Tonight we watched videos and read stories together. There was this video of Eve that he loves watching and seeing how much he liked it, how much he loves her was an eye opener for me. Lula, when he hugged me it just did something for me, it just made me think about so many things...”

“Like about the child you lost?” Lula questioned as there was a silence on the other end of the line, “Holly?”

“Lula, I don’t want to think about that,” Holly confessed with a sigh, “that was a long time ago.”

“Holly, you can’t not talk about it. When I found you in that hospital you were so torn up about it,” Lula pointed out, “after the miscarriage....”

“Lula, it was a long time ago,” Holly cut her off, “longer than I can remember.”

“Pain like that never fades,” Lula reminded her again.

“Lucky for me I don’t have the luxury of recalling how I got into that position to begin with,” Holly offered up with a sigh, “That’s the miracle of amnesia.”

“Perhaps that’s why you took on this moment with Chris, to see if maybe he was right about you?” Lula questioned, “to find out if maybe that baby’s daddy lived in Port Charles? If maybe you were Eve Lambert?”

“I’m not Eve Lambert,” Holly argued with her, “I’m certain that I wouldn’t have slept with any of the men out here. I’d recall that.”

“Holly, you didn’t know your name let alone your age when I found you at that place all broken and....” Lula began again.

“Lula, just drop it okay. I don't want to talk about it,” Holly snapped back at her as she heard a sound at the door, “Look I have to go.”

“Holly,” Lula began again.

“We’ll talk soon,” Holly promised hanging up the phone as she tried to regain her composure. She rose from her chair hearing the door again as she realized Chris must’ve forgotten his keys. Opening the door she shook her head, “Far be it from me to trust you again in remembering something as important as your house key,” she teased finding herself face to face with Ian Thornhart.

“Eve, can we talk?” he questioned as she reached for the door.

“No, I‘m not in the mood,” she answered starting to close it.

“Too bad,” he answered pushing his way inside, “because I’m through with being polite and you’re going to listen to me starting now,” he finished standing his ground leaving Holly with no way out.

“Fine Ian,” she shut the door behind him as Ian Thornhart invaded her life presenting yet another challenge to her, one that she’d much rather avoid, but as she glared at him, she realized she was ready for battle and if Ian wanted a fight, then a war he’d get.

 


End file.
